


Amour et Guerre

by Lauvauxdin (Ranchod_Tunnell)



Series: Miraculous Adventures of Lady-Blue-Black-Chat-Fox [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Crime Fighting, Drama & Romance, F/M, Female!Reader - Freeform, Fox Miraculous, Jealousy, POV First Person, Peacock Miraculous, Reader-Insert, School, Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2018-10-12 06:05:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 80,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10483830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ranchod_Tunnell/pseuds/Lauvauxdin
Summary: "Hold on a second! What's the big idea?! I come back and after only a couple months you'vereplacedme withher?! What is this?!"[ReaderxChat Noir/Adrien Agreste]





	1. Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> First things first: yes, this is a reader-insert. It's just done in first person. Emotions and thoughts are a little easier to write from this perspective. 
> 
> Yes, you are a miraculous holder. It is the Blue Peacock one. Yes, I am aware Gabriel Agreste has something like it in his vault but since Plagg didn't react to it, I'm going to pull a Volpina and assume it's fake. 
> 
> No, you are not going to bust up Ladybug/Marinette and Chat Noir/Adrien's relationship as soon as you drop in. Their relationship seems a bit too genuine for that to be feasible. Expect an actual story with actual character development, yay! :D
> 
> And now that that's all out of the way~ Drumroll, please...!
> 
> Enjoy! ;)

            “We’re going **back**! We’re going **back**! We’re going **back**! We’re going **back**! We’re going **back**! We’re going **back**! We’re going **back**! We’re going--”

 

            “Argh, please, Duusu, will you quiet down? It’s like you _want_ everyone to know you exist…” I griped as I continued pushing boxes from my room down into the hall. My father was lugging them out to the moving van while my mother organized the back so that everything would fit.

 

            The cobalt blue peacock-like Kwami ceased its bouncing on my bare mattress and curled in on itself apologetically, “Sorry…I’m just excited! Aren’t you excited?! Because I’m excited!”

 

            “Yeah,” I agreed monotonously. “Totally excited.”

 

            Unfortunately that was all the Kwami needed to get going again. It spun around with a squeal before zooming about my room, its long antennae, tipped with feather plumes rippling behind it.

            I tried not to smile but it— _she_ , I’d ended up deciding given its personality and voice—was too darn cute. I sighed, flipped my blackish-(color) hair away from my face, and slumped against the box I’d just moved, “If I’d known you’d miss Paris so much, I would have fought harder for us to stay.”

 

            Duusu gasped dramatically as she came to a screeching halt. I might have assumed something was wrong with it if she didn’t do these things so very often. As it was I simply rested my chin in my palms and watched her zip over to me, “Oh no, [Name]. Thank you but your art is more important than me wanting to stay in one place. You simply _had_ to go to _Rempli Vol_ Art School!”

 

            “Yes, well, fat lot of good it did, huh? Since we’re going right back to Dupont. I knew it was a lie,” I tried to keep the disappointment out of my voice but I’m sure I failed. I mean, seriously, my one chance to go to a real art school—one that would set me up for life—and it turns out to be a huge scam. Seriously disappointing!

 

            Duusu trilled sadly and pressed herself up against my cheek, “Oh, I’m sorry, [Name]. But at least you tried, right?”

            The poor thing’s voice trembled and I sighed, “It’s fine, Duusu. It’s not the end of the world. We’ll just try again.” Huge, impossibly sad, yellow eyes stared back at me. They pulled at my heartstrings in the most irritating way. The blue Kwami had a way of making me feel guilty even if I hadn’t really done anything. “C’mon. I thought you were excited to go back to Paris. You can’t go back on me now.”

 

            She tried to stay sympathetic, she really did, but I could see the tension budding inside of her even before she unleashed it. Two seconds later, her top blew and she was back to bouncing around the room so fast the only way I could keep track of her was by following the navy blue contrail she left behind, “We’re going **back**! We’re going **back**! We’re going **back**! We’re going **back**!”

 

            “Great…and now we’re **back** to that,” I grumbled, rolling my eyes before going back in my room to push out another box. It would be the last one. After that, all I had to do was wait for everything to get loaded and we’d be on the road.

 

            “Do you think it’ll be any different?”

 

            I scoffed, “Please. Paris has been around for centuries. I doubt it’s changed in a couple months.”

 

            “Oooh, you’d be surprised how fast things can change! It seemed like only yesterday that the Great Roman empire--”

 

            I winced, “Yeah, that’s right. I keep forgetting you’re like a bajillion years old.”

 

            Duusu sniffed, affronted, “Well at least I don’t look it!”

 

            I wrinkled my nose, “How would someone that old even look? I’m pretty sure their body would be like…all wrinkled and crusty and just ew…” I trailed off and flicked my eyes to my companion.

 

            The little Kwami gasped.

            It held that pose for a good moment, probably thinking I would take back my words. When I didn’t its yellow eyes narrowed and she crossed her tiny forelimbs, “I’m not speaking to you anymore.”

 

            “Ugh, Duusu, don’t be so dramati--”

 

            “Nope! Not until we get to Paris! It’s all your fault!” She said even as she yanked open my backpack and stuffed herself in with the extra tissues and menstrual pads I always kept around.

 

            I stared at the place where she’d locked herself away in for a while, debating on whether or not I should apologize. In the end I decided against it. It was hard enough keeping her a secret on the daily. If she was going to purposefully shun herself, then there was no way I was going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

            I lugged the backpack, much heavier since it was carrying way more than just school supplies, onto my back with a grin, “Okay just remember you’re the one who said it, not me.”

 

            I found my parents bickering outside much like I expected I would. And also, as predicted, they stopped their hushed argument and plastered on bright smiles when they noticed me coming. I resisted the urge to sigh. They hated when I did that and besides it really was a bad habit. Unsurprisingly, it developed around the same time I found a ridiculously pretty hairpin…

           

            “Hey, baby! All ready to go?” My mom said as she jumped down from the back of the moving van.

 

            “Yep,” I replied and left them to climb into the cabin. Being the smallest, I already knew I would be forced into the middle even if my parents did want to sit next to each other. My sister was already there and stubbornly refused to move from the window seat when I tried to get in.

            I called her a _really_ bad name which she pretended not to hear because of her earbuds as I left to climb in from the driver’s side.

 

            “Aww, no one wants to ride with Daddy?” Your mother cooed when she came and saw her two daughters already settled in. I might have thought she felt bad for Dad if she didn’t look and sound so pleased with the situation.

            Honestly I’d forgotten that someone had to drive the family car back into the capital. I thought about going but my sister quickly volunteered.

 

            “I’ll go,” she announced as she scrambled down from the truck. I flipped her the bird when she looked up to shut the door, using my body as a shield so Mom wouldn’t see. She slammed the door with excessive force in response.

 

            Mother frowned, “I wonder what’s wrong with her?”

 

            “She hates it when you talk to us in your baby voice,” I supplied easily. It wasn’t exactly a lie either since she really did hate it. Mother pursed her lips as if trying to remember if she’d actually done so and I smiled. “You did.”

 

            She blushed and cleared her throat noisily, “Well. Anyway. Let’s get going shall we?”

 

            “Don’t you want to take any last photos or say a few inspirational words before we leave our house for the last time?” It was something she would normally do. She did it with a lot of tears when we left Paris to come here.

 

            To my utter surprise she snorted and might’ve sneered if I was her best friend instead of her daughter, “Oh, honey, I _hated_ this place.”

 

            My chest lurched with the force of holding back my astonished laughter, “W-Well, wait. Don’t you want to wait for Dad t--”

 

            “He can catch up,” she interjected. With equally disturbing enthusiasm, she started the car and stepped on the gas. I gasped and scrambled to put on my seatbelt. All of a sudden I wished I’d chosen to ride with my father instead.

 

            I heard a giggle to my right and whipped my head around to regard my mother incredulously. She was staring out the rearview mirror. When I looked in the side mirror, I saw my dad practically tripping over himself to do a final check of the house and garage before diving into the car to follow behind.

            Only belatedly, after a few miles down the highway, did I realize that meant he most likely left my bed behind.

 

            Fantastic.                                                                                                   


	2. Changes, Stay the Same

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pardon any spelling or grammar errors. It's hard to catch every single one of them.

            **_Riiiiiinnnnnnngggggg!!!! Riiiiiinnnn--!!!!_**

 

            “Come on, [Name], wake up! It’s time for school! Tee hee!”

 

            Honestly, my heart nearly leapt out of its chest when the first obnoxiously loud sound blared through my dreamless sleep. Duusu’s wakeup call was hardly necessary though in the long run I suppose she did stop me from swiping the snooze tab on my phone…

            I groaned and shifted a bit more on the pallet I created on the floor until my real bed could be salvaged. There wasn’t even time for me to start unpacking and organizing my room. Not that it mattered.

            I had hoped that I would have at least a week or two to get situated before being shipped off to school. A little time to reacquaint myself with the place. (Mostly time to flit around with Duusu so she could stop pestering me about it.) But my parents didn’t think it necessary given the situation. It wasn’t like we were strangers to the great city after all. So in the end after only two and a half days back in town, here I was—already struggling to get up at 6:45am to trek to school.

            Françoise Dupont was a familiar place. I’ve gone there since I started secondary school. The morning routine was unpleasantly nostalgic. Fortunately that also meant it was easy to fall back into.

            After lying around for another five or so minutes, I rolled unsteadily to my feet to make my way to the bathroom. When I reached for where the switch was supposed to be, I came up empty. It made sense. In the dark it was hard to remember that my surroundings were unfamiliar. Holding my hands out as feelers, I found the wall and then used them to make my way to the bathroom.

 

            “Remind me to plug in a lamp first thing when I come home…,” I murmured quietly to Duusu as I cautiously stepped around invisible boxes and small furniture pieces.

 

            “Oh, of course! It’s a good thing the bathroom has its own light, though, isn’t it? Otherwise you’d be in trouble.” She giggled.

 

            My hum of agreement quickly changed into a hiss when my toes finally met frozen tile. My eyes were naturally drawn to my reflection when light flooded the room. I looked as bad as everyone else did when they first woke up. My lips and eyes were swollen and crusty with sleep and drool, my skin had texturized imprints from sleeping so hard on my pillows and blankets…I didn’t even want to start on my hair…

 

            I reached out blindly for where I usually kept my toothbrush only to realize it was once again not where I expected. I rolled my head to the side, feeling quite fed up already, “Duusu, be a dear and fetch me my hygienic tools…?”

 

            “Certainly! You have to look your absolute best on your first day back at school.” She batted her yellow eyes at her own reflection and flared her collection of little tail feathers. Thankfully, she didn’t need me to prompt her again and zipped out of the room soon after. I splashed and scrubbed at my face with water in the meantime.

            Duusu didn’t linger after bringing me my things and returned into the dark hall. It made me nervous. She wasn’t the quietest thing around and my sister was due to wake up any minute now. I finished up as quickly as I dared and went in search for the little Kwami. I could hear her giggling in my room and let out a small sigh of relief. At least she wasn’t roaming the house.

 

            “Duusu? What are you doin--?”

 

            “[Name]! I picked you out an outfit! It’s perfect! Well, as perfect as I could get with this miserable light from your window--”

 

             “The sun’s not up yet.”

  

            “—and your terrible wardrobe.”

 

             “…”

 

            I looked away in search for the clothes she picked out. I could see a faint outline of everything now that the dusty blue light of a pale dawn was starting to come through.

 

            “Can we go shopping?”

  

            I rolled my eyes, “Somehow I don’t think they have clothes you’ll like in my price range.”

 

            “For me then.”

  

            I snorted, “Since when do you have money?” She opened her mouth to speak but I added before she could, “Since when do _Kwamis_ wear _clothes_?”

 

            “We would if they made any in our size!” She huffed.

 

            I shrugged as I shed my pajamas for the clothes she picked out for me, “They do. Let’s hit a toy store. We could strip a Barbie for you.”

 

            She growled angrily. I snickered…until I pulled on my bottoms and realized it was a skirt instead of my usual shorts. It was her turn to laugh and she did and I let her. It wasn’t that I hated skirts. I actually liked them quite a bit. It’s just that Dupont was always so cold—cold enough that most students kept light jackets on hand at all times. I preferred my favorite hoodie.

 

            “Oh, no,” Duusu moaned. “Don’t wear that! You’ll ruin the entire color scheme!”

 

            “So? It’s school, not a runway.”

 

            “Ugh.”

 

            “Don’t whine. Come on,” I said and opened her favorite pocket in my backpack. "We’ve gotta get on the train before rush-hour.”

 

            I tried herding her gently through the air and into my bag but she flipped over my hand, “Wait! Aren’t you going to have breakfast?”

 

            “Not hungry. Get in.”

 

            “No! What about your sister? Doesn’t she need to get up, too?”

 

            “Don’t care. Are you coming?”

 

            “[Name]~” She drew out my name in a chiding manner.

 

            I shrugged and spun on my heels, “Fine. I’ll see you after school. Be good.”

 

            “No, no! I’m coming, too!” She cried and flew after me. “You know you’re not being very nice.” I could practically see the deep frown just from listening to her voice.

 

            “And you’re not being very quiet for something that needs to stay a secret.”

 

            “Whatever. You’re just mad because you don’t want to go to school.”

 

            “And you do?” I asked incredulously. Duusu was the most restless little bugger I’ve ever met. Being cooped up in my bookbag was never something I could get her to do willingly without lots of bribing and quiet activities, namely fashion magazines.

 

            “Of course not,” she spat. “But don’t you want to see all your friends again? It’s been a while.”

 

            “Mmm…” I hummed thoughtfully as I stepped outside, wrinkling my nose at the cold, sticky, _wet_ feeling of the dewy morning air on my bare legs. “No, not really.”

 

            “Really?” Duusu sounded honestly surprised by that which struck me as odd.

 

            “Well, yeah. I mean, we weren’t really _friends_ so much as we were classmates…Acquaintances. I doubt they even remember who I am. I didn’t really hang out if it wasn’t for school, you know that, Duusu.”

 

            “That’s because we were always busy patrolling after school. Just because you don’t hear from them all the time doesn’t mean they don’t care about you or miss you!”

 

            I didn’t exactly agree but I didn’t want to argue the point any further either. She seemed to understand that something she said changed the mood and tried to lighten it in the best way she knew how. “And if you’re that worried about not being memorable, then all you’ve got to do is stand out more! Talk more! Laugh more! Play more! Make ‘em notice you!”

 

            “A peacock _would_ say that,” I giggled which made Duusu smile happily. “And…you know? I did miss a few people.”

 

            “Really?!” She gasped excitedly and escaped her pocket to fly circles around my head. My eyes widened and I quickly reached out and snagged her in the dome formed by my cupped hands. My sudden movement drew more attention to me than Duusu’s sudden appearance did which was good. The way I was holding her made most of them think I was just taking a selfie.

 

            I smiled a little, “Yeah. I loved Mylène and Juleka even though she wasn’t--”

 

            “Oh, yay! Oh! Do you think any of them will be in your class?”

 

            I shrugged a little, “They’re never really good at switching things up. It’ll probably be the same people they put me with the last two ye--”

 

            “What about boys? Any cute boys you missed?”

 

            “Uh…,” I wracked my brain for faces and names. Kim was always that irritating loud-mouth aspiring jock, Max was the nerd who might have passed for ~~somewhat~~  cool if he didn’t speak so weirdly, Nino was okay but he was always distracted by music…anyone else I had trouble remembering if there were even any left to remember. There were way more girls at my school than boys. “Not really.”

 

            “Aww, that’s okay! Maybe you’ll get lucky this year. Ooh! And if you do, then we can work on your hair and your eyebrows and--”

 

            “Yeah, thanks, Duusu, but we’re getting around a lot of people now. Time to settle down.” I unshouldered my backpack and stuffed her back inside. Yellow eyes glared at me balefully so I dug around my jacket pockets for my phone.

 

            “You _always_ say that as soon as we start talking about your image. You need to—Ooo! _La Mode_!” She squealed and threw herself backwards into my belongings, happily swiping away on my phone.

 

            I sighed and adjusted my backpack gently. With that, my phone’s battery would be dead before lunch. ‘ _Maybe I should get a compact mirror. Duusu loves looking at herself after all…_ ’

 

            The ride to school was as uneventful as it always was even if I was coming from a different direction than I used to. Paris was a hard city to find housing in so naturally our old house wasn’t up for grabs anymore by the time we came back.

            I started seeing a few familiar faces appearing on the train the closer I got to school. None of them were kids I knew personally, just people who violently jogged my memory.

            The subway station was conveniently right around the block from Dupont, closer than I’d remembered. I was early.

            I didn’t mind it. I preferred to be early than to be late. It made for great people-watching sessions. Besides, it meant I could visit the Admins’ offices to get my locker, classes, and schedule before lessons began which was always a plus. There was nothing more nerve-wracking than trying to enter a class that’s already started as the new kid. Though technically I wasn’t new, just perpetually invisible.

            Nothing had changed in the months that I’ve been gone. I hardly expected it to. The offices and classrooms were up off the catwalks above the big space used for Gym that simultaneously served as the entryway. A staff member was there, staring blearily at a screen as he sipped on some coffee.

 

            “Hello,” I said simply. The man jumped and would have spilled his coffee if his hands were slower.

 

            “Good morning! What are you doing here? School doesn’t start for--”

 

            “Yes, I know but I just moved back here and I’m a new student. Again. So…”

 

            The man narrowed his eyes and regarded me irritably. I quirked a brow but otherwise made no other move. Eventually he turned his attention away to his screen and said, “What’s your name?” I gave it to him and he typed it in. “Hmm…It says here you’ve been with us before.”

 

            “Yes. I just said that. In not so many words granted but still…” I murmured. I might have said it louder if it wasn’t my first day. No need to get in trouble so early. As if I’d ever gotten in trouble before at school.

 

            “Hmm!” His eyes lit up and he looked back at me with a smile. I sighed. No doubt he had seen my academic marks and was going to start trying to ‘expect great things from me’. “Well! Welcome back! Hopefully you haven’t been away too long to forget how things run around here…?”

 

            “No, my memory’s being jogged successfully, thanks. I just came here to get my essentials. Y’know, lockers, schedule, new updated handbook that nobody reads but my parents still have to sign anyway…the whole new year package. Is it ready?”

 

            The man blinked at me, mildly taken aback by my manner and quite unsure what to make of it. I wasn’t being rude after all but the words weren’t exactly sugarcoated. They usually weren’t.

            He hummed thoughtfully and typed a bit more on his computer while I waited patiently. A machine suddenly spluttered to life, startling me until I realized it was just the printer. There was some circling and highlighting and stapling…Eventually I got a tiny folder full of mostly useless paper. I flicked through it, pleased to note that the most imperative information was on the first two slips and walked out without further discourse.

 

            “Oh! Is that your schedule? Let me see!” Duusu shrieked suddenly as I made my way further into the school to find my locker. I never used them much but it was still nice to know about the one I had.

 

            “Duusu…you know the rules for school. No pets allowed,” I recited with no heat at all.

 

            “Then it’s a good thing I’m not one!”

 

            “You’re right. I misspoke. You’re a _pest_. Flip the ‘s’ and the ‘t’.” Silence greeted my words and I pulled my eyes away from my paper curiously. Duusu was there, floating dejectedly with big watery yellow jewels for eyes and a pouty lip. “Oh…hey. You know I’m just teasing you. You’re the best little bluebird around. Don’t be so sensitive.”

 

            The sadness flashed away with such speed that I wondered if it was even real to begin with. The little Kwami twirled around in a circle before snuggling into my neck, “Oh, I know you love me. How couldn’t you possibly? Just look at me! Tee hee!”

 

            I rolled my eyes and turned my eyes back to my papers, “Yeah, yeah just make sure other people don’t get a look at you, okay?”

 

            “It’s against my very nature but if that’s what you wish, [Name], then I’ll do it for you,” she declared as seriously as she could. It made me nervous. I didn’t doubt that she wanted to keep her promise—the good intentions were always there with Duusu—she just wasn’t the best at following through.

 

            “Showbird,” I accused with a smile. She flicked her little sea-green tail feathers.

 

            “Guilty!”

 

            We both giggled to ourselves before settling and looking over my papers.

 

            “Homeroom with Miss Caline Bustier. Big surprise there.”

 

            “Wasn’t she your teacher last time, too?”

 

            “Yeah. Once. When I first started here. Not very original, like I said before...” I flicked my eyes down the sheet, reading the tiny details each class had to offer. “Class Representative, Marinette Dupain-Cheng…Deputy, Alya Césaire…Names to remember in case I have troubles…okay. History…cool. Math and Science…Ms. Mendeleiev. Ugh. Ouch. Alright then Literature, Foreign Languages, Multimedia Arts, Painting, Drawing…P.E….hmm yeah. Looks pretty normal all things considered.”

 

            “No different from last time?”

 

            “Not by a long shot. This’ll be easy.”

 

            “So we go to class?”

 

            “ _I_ go to class. You…?” I prompted, hoping she would cooperate. She didn’t.

 

            “No, not yet! No one’s even here! I wanna see your classroom!”

 

            I sighed, “It hasn’t changed, Duus--”

 

            “I want to see it!” She demanded, loudly. I scowled at her and cast my eyes about the area to check for company. There wasn’t any thankfully. She knew it too if that smug little grin was anything to go by.

 

            “Alright fine but as soon as one person shows up that’s it,” I ordered as firmly as someone giving into another’s demands possibly could.

 

            “Deal! Let’s go!” And off she went, faster than a zip line.

 

            Ms. Bustier’s class was the same as it always was. Two columns of seats four rows across with each row elevated just a little higher than the one below…All nice golden wood unfortunately sullied by subtle graffiti, pranks, and general use…

 

            “This was your seat!” Duusu cried, hovering over a spot in the third row back in the first column by the windows.

 

            I smiled at the random memories that flowed to the surface, “Yes, it was. This one always had the best lighting for sketches. And it was the warmest place to nap, too.”

 

            “Yeah, I think I still see your drool puddles.”

 

            “Impossible,” I dismissed with a deep blush. Duusu twittered.

 

            I regarded my old seat contemplatively as the Kwami fluttered about the room. I could always just take it but knowing Ms. Bustier, she had assigned seats and she loved to give seats that were the exact opposite from the previous year’s. It probably belonged to someone else now and it would be very frustrating to hop from seat to seat as people trickled in only to be left standing in the end like a loser. No, better to remain standing from the very beginning or else hang out in the back where Ms. Bustier only kept her least troublesome students…But then, what if she didn’t notice me standing back there and I never got a seat?

 

_‘Grab their attention! Make ‘em notice you!’_

            I had to smile to myself. Even in my thoughts, Duusu was a constant presence. On this occasion though, she was right. It was best to integrate myself as quickly as possible, make myself seen so they wouldn’t be surprised later on, take some of the pressure off by just throwing myself into it. It wasn’t something [Name] would do, but it was pretty typical for my alter ego, Paonne Blue.

            She would be perfect for this sort of thing. A shame really.

 

            It didn’t take long for people to start filing in. I spent the time reminiscing with Duusu until I heard the door crack open. I dove for her in a panic. She squawked indignantly but largely understood the situation and stayed out of sight with minimal fussing. My sudden movement launched me in front of the teacher’s desk though and, suddenly leaden with feelings of awkwardness, I stayed there lest I make a fool out of myself by tripping up or doing something weird.

            To my utter surprise, the person coming in was Nino Lahiffe. Surprising because he was the first one here and his earphones _weren’t_ blasting obnoxious techno. He was in my class last time I was here. We weren’t in Miss. Bustier’s class then. We were seventh graders and that was really the only time we shared a homeroom class until now. I didn’t think he’d remember me and I was exactly right. He regarded me with slight confusion but in the end decided it wasn’t his business and took his seat in the front row.

            Definitely assigned seating since Nino adored the furthest row from the board.

            He looked different. A little bigger and less gangly which was a great improvement. No doubt he was fairly popular now.

            There was silence for a stretch and it wouldn’t have been awkward at all if Nino was at all inclined to ignore me. His staring was uncomfortable. In the end though he pulled up his headphones, kicked up his feet, and drummed his fingers to something I couldn’t hear. I was almost excited when the door opened again if not to have someone else for him to look at.

            That all faded away however when a pale girl with super long dark blue, violet-tipped straight hair and warm crimson eyes quietly slinked in. She looked up having not expected to see someone lingering at the front of the class who was not a teacher. My heart hammered in my chest when I saw surprise then confusion flash over her eyebrows.

            Then it fell away to recognition and her eyes brightened and a delicate smile pulled at her pale pink lips, “[Name]…?”

 

            “Yeah. It’s me,” I said lamely. “It’s been a while, huh?”

 

            “Yeah, it…it has! I…you…I thought you were gone? When’d you get back? Are you staying? You’re in _this_ class?” Juleka’s words came easier as the shock wore off. Her smile grew steadily larger as she made her way over to me.

 

            “Yeah. I got back like three days ago…”

 

            “Wow…Um, how was _Renli…_ ” she trailed off questioningly and I laughed a little.

 

            “ _Rempli Vol_. And absolutely terrible.”

 

            “Really? Oh, I’m sorry.” Her eyes widened then and a troubled expression settled over her face. “I’m sorry I didn’t text you like I said I would. My phone cracked and then by the time I got it fixed I couldn’t find your number again and I haven’t been able to--”

 

            I waved it off, “Nah, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I…should have texted you too even though your number would probably’ve been different.”

 

           “…I missed you.”

 

            “Me, too! Especially your hair!” I smiled and she grinned back.

 

            In an uncharacteristic display of affection, Juleka moved forward and hesitantly held out her arms. I was so shocked that at first I didn’t move at all but then I remembered the correct response and wrapped my arms around her first. She seemed to relax knowing that I wouldn’t reject her though she still barely squeezed back at all. Typical Juleka. I refrained from giggling.

 

            “Why don’t you sit down?” She inquired quietly.

 

            “Miss Bustier has assigned seating, right?”

 

            “Oh…yeah.”

 

            “Where’s your seat?”

 

            Juleka smiled and turned, pointing with one black lace-covered hand towards the far left of the room, “I like it there. I can see everything even if no one can see me.”

 

            From the corner of my eye I could see Nino watching us curiously from his seat but I chose to ignore him. If he didn’t remember me now there was no point in telling him.

            Max and Kim slipped in behind us. They were too absorbed in conversation to take note of the rest of us which went well with me. It was getting closer to the time when class would start and more and more people were trickling in. Juleka went to her seat when a girl with really short blond hair and watery ocean blue eyes came in. I watched her with a small smile, glad that she’d found someone to replace me with when I’d left her all alone.

            Still, I wish there were others that could have been replaced especially when I heard a familiar grating guttural laugh come from my side. I closed my eyes, hoping that in doing so, the little devil would pass me by without incident. No such luck.

 

            “Ew~ Who wears a hooded sweatshirt with a skirt in that style?”

 

            Chloé Bourgeois. I never had the displeasure of being in the same class as her before. Not that class boundaries ever stopped her maliciousness anyway. Her reputation certainly preceded her. There are simply no words.

 

            I opened my eyes slowly and regarded the girl who loved to make everyone else’s lives a living nightmare. She grinned back at me in that way that snakes do when they know their prey is about to succumb to their poison. Her lackey tried to imitate her with surprising success considering her geeky appearance.

            I thought about what Duusu would do in this situation and flicked my eyes up and down Chloé’s person so dramatically she couldn’t pretend not to notice. When I’d finished I turned my nose up and away with a haughty sniff, “‘Who wears such a garish shade of yellow when their hair is already horribly blonde?’”

 

            A collective gasp went up through the room. It almost made me want to take back my words. Clearly she was still not someone to mess with if people reacted like that. And yet, _I_ was also not one to be trifled with. She’d chosen the wrong chick to pick a fight with, “Ex **cuse** me?!”

 

            “‘You’re excused’,” I flicked my hand in her direction dismissively.

 

            “Oh. **No**. Just! **_No_**! Who _the hell do you think you are_?! _I_ am Chloé _Bourgeois_! I--”

 

            “--Are also very _loud_. It’s a bit too early for all of that. If you’re trying to introduce yourself, though, you’d do better with something like this,” I cleared my throat dramatically and stood up straighter and held out my hand. “‘Good morning. My name is, in your case, Miss Phonéy Bolognese. How are you today?’ Granted you might not want to offer your hand. I doubt anyone would want to shake it.”

 

            “ ** _Why you--!!!!_** ”

 

            “I take it you’re the new addition we have to the class.”

 

            The hairs on the back of my neck rose up at the sound of that incredibly pretty feminine voice. It was the voice of a dictator no matter how deceptively sweet she often sounded. Ms. Bustier was the epitome of kill them with kindness and if that didn’t work, well…

 

            “Uh…yes, Ma’am. My name is--”

 

            “[Full Name]. Yes, I remember. Welcome back,” she said with a mysterious twinkle in her emerald green eyes. Was she…amused? Well, that could be…very beneficial in the long run. I smiled a little and thanked her. She shooed me away quickly though as any good teacher would. “Go on now and take your seat next to Ivan. Mr. Bruel? Please raise your hand.”

 

            “Just you wait ‘til my daddy hears about this!” Chloé hissed as I passed by.

 

            I tilted my head in her direction in faux curiosity, “I’m sorry. Did you say something?”

 

           “My father’s the mayor!”

 

            I wanted to say ‘Oh yeah? Well, I’m Paonne Blue. Suck it’ but somehow I don’t think I’d get away with that one so I flipped my hair and continued on up the stairs.

 

            Before I was even fully seated, my hands were grabbed and yanked forward. Irritation flared in my gut immediately but I forced it down when my eyes met a pair of huge innocent honey brown ones, “Omg, girl! Who are you and where have you been all my life?”

 

            “Uh…”

 

            “Seriously that was so awesome. No one ever stands up to Chloé like that! Not even I could have done it better and _I’m_ the one who started that trend.”

 

            “And you are…?”

 

            “Alya Césaire.”

 

            I tipped my head in sudden understanding, “Ah. Class deputy.”

 

            “That’s me!” She chirped. “Marinette, my BFF, she’s the--”

 

            “Class representative. Yes, I know,” I flicked my eyes down from the mole above her eyebrow. “…I’d like my hands back now, please.”

 

            “Oh sure! My bad!” Alya grinned and waited until I’d set my backpack under the desk and sat back up before bombarding me with questions. “So, what’s your name?”

 

            “[Full Name]. A pleasure.”

 

            “Likewise! So, are you new around here? If you are, I can totally help you out. I was new here last year and--”

 

            “No, I’m fine. I’ve lived here before. I actually used to go here from sixth grade to eighth.”

 

            “…Do you always do that?”

 

            I tilted my head curiously, “Do what?”

 

            “Cut people off in the middle of their sentences.”

 

            “…” I regarded her silently for a while before sighing and slumping my shoulders a little. “…Only when I’m nervous. Sorry. It’s just I understand what you’re trying to say so quickly that the response comes out before I can remember it’s not my turn to speak and most people just take so _long_ to say something so simple…”

 

            “…Yeah, I guess I can understand that,” Alya nodded with a bright smile. I smiled back a little. “So, if you’ve been here before you must know just about everyone in here, huh?”

 

             “Mmm. Most of them. I’ve had classes with almost everyone here but I don’t know half of them by more than their name. I haven’t seen you at all before so I knew you got here after I’d left.”

 

            “So, you knew Marinette?”

 

            “I’d heard of her name, yeah. Chinese? Parents own a bakery?”

 

            “Yup! Got any juicy secrets from before I got here? Everyone’s been pretty tight-lipped.”

 

            “That’s because nobody really hung with her. She was a serious push-over. Super cute, super nice, but super weak, and super weird. At least she was in sixth grade when we first got here. Why?”

 

            “Oh, no reason.”

 

            “…Oh-kay…? Cool.”

 

            “Say, what about Nino?” She whispered though she wasn’t quite quiet enough because said male whipped around indignantly.

 

            “Alya!”

 

            “What~?” She responded innocently. “It’s just a question!”

 

            “All right class! We’re doing roll call and then we’re going to get started…Adrien Agreste?”

 

            “Do you know _him_?” Alya asked pointedly. The way she asked it tipped me off. She was too smug, like she knew something I didn’t. It was probably a trick question which weren’t nearly as funny as she seemed to think they were.

 

            “Are you going to ask me if I know every single person in this school? Because I can tell you right now that I _don’t_.”

 

            She giggled, “Okay. Okay. I get it. I’ll leave that alone. Can I see your schedule? Maybe we have some other classes together?”

 

            I sighed and bent over to dig in my backpack for my folder. I took the opportunity to check on Duusu who was being unusually still. Turns out she was taking pictures of herself on my phone. I'd have to delete them later but for now it was fine. I rubbed my index finger gently across her head before retreating altogether.

 

            “Wow! That’s a pretty hairclip! I didn’t notice before.”

 

            “Yeah, since it’s on the back of my head.”

 

            “Where’d you get it from?”

 

            I settled my chin in my hand and regarded her steadily, “Mmm, y’know? I don’t remember. I’d have to ask the dude who gave it to me.”

 

            “Ooh, a dude, huh? Like a boyfriend?”

 

            I thought of Master Fu and nearly choked, “Definitely not. More like a mentor. A _really_ old one.”  Which reminds me that I should probably take Duusu over to see him just in case. Preventive check-ups worked wonders.

 

            “Girls, while I’m glad you’re making friends, could you please--”

 

            “Oh, no, Ms. Bustier! I’m just explaining everything to [Name] since I’m class deputy and the class representative isn’t here yet.”

 

            “Hmmph. Well, carry on. Quietly.”

 

            “Sure thing, Ms. Bustier.”

 

            I quirked a lopsided grin and arched one of my eyebrows when Alya turned back around, “That was nice.”

 

            “It was, wasn’t it?”

 

            “I just said so, yeah.”

 

            “Y’know? I think I like you.”

 

            I smiled, “Likewise, Miss Alya, likewise.”

 

            Naturally, after roll call was finished, Alya and I had to stop talking. Class had started and Miss Bustier had started on reading from a classic literature piece. She’d stop every other paragraph to make us analyze the imagery and theme and topic just to make sure we understood what was going on. I imagined this method also worked to make sure no one fell asleep since the material was so boring…

            I usually loved to read but that was when I got to choose the material myself.

            Halfway through the class a Chinese girl with hair so black it looked blue, separated into two low pigtails stumbled through the door. All eyes turned to her and she smiled sheepishly.

 

            “That’s Marinette,” Alya supplied helpfully. “She’s _always_ late.”

 

            The brunette smiled brightly when her best friend finally managed to break through the stares and scamper into her seat. The blue raven returned her smile but kept it brief, hyper-aware of the blazing green eyes of Miss Bustier on her form.

 

            That was pretty much the highlight of class.

 

            Following my schedule was a no-brainer so I had a lot more time to reacquaint myself with the people who knew me from eighth grade and before. I expected to have to approach them one by one after the lunch bell rang and reintroduce myself all over again. I was very surprised to have my desk practically swarmed as soon as there was a break to switch classes.

 

            “Hey!”

 

            “So you’re back!”

 

            “Where ya been?”

 

            I blinked, surprised, “Well, I moved so I--”

 

            “Did you move back into your old house?”

 

            “Uh…N-No. I’m somewhere else now. It’s in almost the exact opposite direction but not quite as far as I first thought so--”

 

            “Have you finished unpacking yet?”

 

            “No, I didn’t get a chance t--”

 

            “Wow, you look so different!”

 

            I cast my eyes down to scrutinize my form, confused, “Um. Not really.”

 

            “I think it’s the hair. You used to wear it in a ponytail all the time. Now only a little bit of it is held back with that pretty clip,” Juleka offered quietly from behind me. I almost jumped, having not heard her move so close over all the noise everyone else was making.

 

            “Oh! Hey! You’re [Name]!”

 

            Marinette who had previously been a little put out with being boxed in suddenly whipped her head around to look at me. I glanced at her briefly before turning my eyes to my addressees brown ones.

 

            “And you’re Nino,” I said pointedly. He seemed to understand that I’d recognized him earlier as soon as he entered the room and was not quite so happy with being so casually blown off. I mean, if someone was going to stare as hard as he did they could at least say “hi” even if they didn’t remember you.

 

            He smiled sheepishly, “Yeah, sorry about that. I didn’t recognize you. It’s definitely the hair.”

 

            “Nice to know that a simple change in hair accessories is enough to make an entire class forget who you are.”

 

            “Aww, c’mon, [Name]! It’s not like that!”

 

            I shrugged. Honestly I was surprised that even this many people remembered who I was even if my hair change did throw them off initially. Maybe I hadn’t been as unimpressionable as I thought. They do say that introverts unknowingly influence tons more people in their lifetimes than extroverts but I’d always thought it just a ploy to make quieter people not feel so bad. Maybe not.

            Honestly, I was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed. It didn’t help that Duusu was struggling to escape her confines. All the attention grabbed _her_ attention and she wanted to be in the thick of it. I’d ended up having to cradle my bag to my chest to make sure she wouldn’t break free. Not that it really mattered since she could move through solid objects. I think the fact that we made a deal was the only reason she wasn’t buzzing around the crowd right now.

 

            “Ugh just look at all of them, swarming around her like she’s something special. She’s not even that pretty! Did you _hear_ what she said to me today?!” Chloé’s voice rang out like a scratchy violin over the crowd.

 

            Beside her, Kim shuffled awkwardly in his bright red hoodie, trying desperately to get her attention, “I think you’re amazing, Chloé--”

 

            “And you should!”

 

            “Don’t worry, Chloé. It’ll all be back to normal by tomorrow. You’ll see,” the ginger-haired lackey from before cooed. I couldn’t for the life of me remember her name…

 

            A few people closest to me took note of where my eyes had strayed. Alya grinned, “Is _she_ still the same?”

 

            “Unfortunately,” I replied and rolled my eyes.

 

            A tiny girl I didn’t recognize with pretty deep rose-pink hair clad in all black with highlights in neon green scoffed. Marinette sighed and a surprisingly fierce expression crossed her face. It was weird to see on a girl I remembered as being so painfully afraid of everything, “Don’t pay her any attention. It just eggs her on.”

 

            I hummed and settled back in my chair, glaring at the blonde from where I sat, “Chloé Bourgeois doesn’t scare me. I’ve got a sister who’s--”

 

**_“[Full Name]!”_ **

 

            The circle of students flinched and looked around with deer eyes. I crumpled in on myself, “Speak of the Devil…”

 

            The door slammed open and in its frame stood my sister. Feathered (color) hair cascading down one shoulder, red lips pulled into a severe scowl…Her legs were planted firmly apart, her arms crossed imperiously across her larger-than-my-own bust. She was a force to be reckoned with. Certainly much more troublesome than a spoiled brat whose only ammunition was her father’s influence and massive bank account. This was one menace I actually had to go _home_ to, “A word please.”

 

            “How’d you find my classroom--?” I started to ask instead but she snarled at me.

 

            “ ** _Now!_** ”

 

            I sneered back at her and stood up from my desk, “Fine!”

 

            “Excuse me,” I said quietly to the people blocking my way. I glared at my sister as I made my way over to her. She met my eyes steadily and shoved me through the door when I got close enough. “What do you wa--?”

 

            “Why didn’t you wake me up this morning?! I was late!”

 

            “You have your own room with your own alarm. You don’t need me to do anything for you.”

 

            “You--”

 

            “Don’t you usually get mad when I try to help you out anyway?”

 

            “This is different. This is important!” She hissed.

 

            “What’s so different? What’s so important?”

 

            “It’s the first day of school! And I’m making a bad impression!”

 

           “You do that on your own anyway. You mean with the teachers? Because that’s good. Then maybe you won’t get away with so much anymore.”

 

            She stared at me as if just doing so would cause me to spontaneously combust. She shook herself a second later and seemed to regain some composure, “Look. Don’t start with me, [Name], because I will hurt you.” She said simply in a much calmer voice.

 

            I completely believed her but there was no way I was going to cower so obviously. I rolled my eyes, “I mean you’re here now, right? So what’s the problem?”

 

            She huffed, “I don’t know why I even bother with you. Just wake me **_up_** next time.” She punctuated her words with a hard shove to my shoulder. She was much stronger than me. It was enough to make me stumble but I recovered easily and flipped her off behind her back.

            Duusu chose that moment to break free and she was not at all happy, “I told you we should have woken her up.”

 

            “Duusu--”

 

            “But she was still unnecessarily mean about it.”

 

            “Please--”

 

            “What are you going to do about it?”

 

            “Not now.”

 

            “But you can’t let her get away with pushing you around! And what about that blonde girl?”

 

            “Ugh…”

 

            Duusu regarded me thoughtfully, “You know you were right about the yellow. Blue would be better for her.”

 

            “I was thinking purple,” I said, giving up on trying to get the little peacock spirit thing to listen to me. I offered a smile that Duusu happily returned until we heard the doors open and she dived back into my bag with a gasp.

 

            “Hey…are you alright?” Juleka.

 

            “Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m good.”

 

            “That was your sister?” Someone else, the blonde with the short hair, asked fearfully.

 

            “Yeah.”

 

            “She seemed really mad…”

 

            I shrugged, unsure of what to say and instead decided to introduce myself, “Hi. I’m [Name].”

 

            “Oh! I’m Rose Lavillant!”

 

            “Nice to meet yo--”

 

            “ ** _AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!_** ”

 

            We all jumped at the sudden scream. I looked on in confusion as Juleka and Rose glanced around nervously, unconsciously curling in on themselves as if they expected to be hit at any moment. Further down the hall, a random door banged open and students poured out, lugging various sized black cases with silver detailing.

 

            “The music room…?” I wondered aloud. Behind me Juleka and Rose began taking slow precautionary steps back. It scared me. My heart started racing fast enough to leave me lightheaded and it irritated me because I didn’t know why. “What’s going on? Why are they— _Oh..._ ” I breathed eyes wide with disbelief at what lumbered out of the room behind the trail of screaming students.

            It was a girl, I think, though she reminded me more of a misaligned metronome than a human. Her skin was charcoal black and her eyes droopy, smoky, and gray. Her nose was crooked and her cheeks were hollowed out…she seemed incredibly sad. If depression could take on a human form, it would certainly look something like her.

            There was an instrument in her hand. It looked like an old guitar that got some really sick accessories. Her fingers hovered over its strings absently as her eyes scanned the crowd in front of her. She seemed not to see them at first but then suddenly her face contorted into something horribly anguished and she began frantically strumming a horrible tune, “ **If yOu doN’t LikE mY mUsiC tHen I’ll Make yOu! I wILL be A rOcKstaR! The bEst oNe in tHe Entire _WoRLd_**!”

            The students at the very back of the fleeing class locked up as if they’d been struck by a beam and slumped over. The color drained from their eyes and skin until they matched the creature bumbling towards them, “ **NoW yOu’Re fAnS of Gloomclast. LoVE mE AnD DEsPaiR!** ”

 

            Honestly I wanted to faint. This wasn’t real. This had to be some sort of dream or hallucination or something. There was just no way.

            I could only vaguely hear Rose scream for everyone to run away while she made off with Juleka at her side. The violet-haired girl snagged my arm as they passed and we joined the throng of students that were screaming their heads off and making for an exit.

 

            “No, [Name]!” I heard Duusu’s voice shriek in the midst of all the stampeding and screaming. “Don’t run away! You have to transform!”

 

            “ _What?!_ ” My yell went completely unnoticed since everyone else was screaming, too. I stared down at the Kwami who’d escaped once again and was floating in the nook made by the arm Juleka was pulling and my sweatshirt. “No! I--”

 

            “You have to! Something’s not right here. You have to check it out!”

 

            “Duusu--”

 

            “You’re a superhero, remember? What are you waiting for?”

 

            “Duusu, I’m used to stopping burglars and robbers! Not…Not…whatever that is!” I said, whipping my head around once again to get a glance at the monster. There were too many students moving around me though and in doing so I got separated from Juleka and pushed to the side of the mob. They continued on running passed to the main entrance while I ducked behind a railing.

 

            “It’s an Akuma!” Even she seemed a bit confused by this but it couldn't possibly be anymore than I. I didn't even know what to call the thing!

 

            “A what?” I asked breathlessly. I was still feeling entirely too lightheaded.

 

            “I’ll explain later. Right now you’ve got to go, [Name]! Come on! Flare your feathers!”

 

            “Okay, okay! Let’s go!” I snapped and closed my eyes tightly against her frantic movements, trying to block the world out so I could just  _think_. This was all too much and yet my lips were moving despite myself. Logically, it made sense. A superheroine with heightened speed, agility, strength, and resilience would fare better against a monster than a measly little teenager but I still had no idea what the hell I was supposed to _do_.

 

            That warm, bright, tinkly feeling—like a thousand tiny fairy wings brushing over my skin starting from my head and traveling to my toes—engulfed me with a flaring pale green light. In an instant my clothes fizzled away, replaced with Paonne Blue’s glittering hero-suit.

            It was a full blue one-piece though the design would make one believe otherwise. Above my elbows the medium blue promptly switched over to stark white as if I were wearing long opera gloves. It was a similar situation just above my knees. At the waist, the rich blue gave way to black at the thighs, accenting my crotch in a way that used to make me uncomfortable until I got used to it. A drooping sash of sea-green separated the two colors where nine elongated, pointed strips of sea-green fabric hung behind my body like nine, long, thick, peacock feathers. My (color) hair flared and fluffed and curled towards the back of my head where my hairclip rested, no longer (color) but now a glittery rainbow of blue-green jewels. My blue-rimmed mask was as white as my arms and legs though a single stripe of black cut through each eyehole. [Full Name] was gone for now. Paonne Blue was ready to take flight.

            Except that she _really_ wasn’t.

            I peeked around the corner nervously, quite unsure of what to do but realizing that I had to do _something_ besides stand there mimicking an ice sculpture.

            Gloomclast, as the thing had dubbed itself, was still moving steadily in the direction of the fleeing populace. She was slower than her prey so most of them managed to evacuate with little trouble but there were some students who were a bit more weighed down than others. It didn’t help that Gloomclast’s attacks were long-range.

            I clenched my fists and mustered up all the courage Paonne Blue usually fluttered around with. Surely if I could stare down the barrel of a gun and bat aside a murderer without blinking an eye, then I could handle a few measly soundwaves.

            Leaping into the air, I reached behind me and unhooked the tail of feathers at the nape of my back. At my touch, the feathers stiffened, sewed themselves together, and melded until they formed a huge Chinese fan with the same design. Just as the crazed rocker started to strum another ear-splitting ballad, I swung. The attack was strong enough to derail her own. Perhaps a bit too strong if the subsequent squawks were anything to go by.

 

            Before I could react, streaks of red and black caught the freefalling students and released them safely on the gym floor. They scattered like rats.

 

            “What do you think you’re doing?!” The girl, I could see that much now that she’d stopped moving so fast, screamed at me. She was decked out in a similar hero-suit though hers wasn’t quite as detailed nor glittery and it reminded me more of a ladybug than a peacock. Her companion, a blond lanky dude, decked out in an all-black catsuit complete with texturized leather-like ears and a belt for a tail, tipped his head back to assess the damage I’d caused.

            The catwalk above the open gym where they were now standing was caved in in one section from my attack. There was no way for Gloomclast to pass that way now but that seemed to escape the red girl's attention. The catboy looked away from the ceiling—and _wow_ were his eyes _green_ —with a cheeky grin, “I think she’s here to help.”

 

            She shot her companion an irritated look, “She can’t be. I’ve never heard of another bearer of a Miraculous besides us and Hawkmoth. Besides what would her power even be? I’ve got Creation. You’ve got Destruction--”

 

            “Hypnosis, if you must know. And since you need to know so much, here’s another fact for you: there are at least seven Miraculi in the world, Miss…?”

 

            She glared instead of answering. The boy glanced quickly between her and me a couple times before grinning at me, “She’s Ladybug. And I’m Chat Noir~”

 

            Ladybug scoffed angrily at her leering companion, “No time for introductions. We need to find its trigger and break it.” I pursed my lips and leapt down from the railing I’d landed on. Both of them seemed oblivious to my movement—Ladybug because she was no doubt trying to snub me; the boy because he seemed genuinely enraptured by what Ladybug was saying. “Come on, Chat--”

 

            “What’s a trigger and why do you need to break it?” Both of them jumped at the close proximity of my voice and I grinned, cocking a hip. Honestly, I was displaying much more equanimity than I currently possessed. The monster above, still looking around drearily for another way out, still scared me but these two weren’t disturbed so I tried to feed off of that.

 

            Ladybug flicked her eyes up and down my form. I unconsciously posed attractively for her despite the sneer that came to her mouth, “How can you be one of us if you don’t even know how to fight an Akuma victim?”

 

            “Maybe she’s new?” Chat Noir offered helpfully. “We didn’t really know what we were doing in the beginning either.”

 

            “If anyone’s new around here, it’s you two. _I’ve_ been the one keeping Paris safe up until last year though obviously things have changed around here…This is a far-cry from grave robbing and sexual predators--”

 

            “Where’s your Miraculous?” Ladybug demanded.

 

            I felt a deep frown settle over my face. I didn’t like her attitude. Not one tiny bit. Granted, I’d tried to overlook it since I was terrified and at a loss while she clearly was not but not even that would stop me from kicking her ass. I’d rather face down this monster on my own than put up with bullshit from a newbie. Natural disasters averted, serial killers locked behind bars, con-artists shut down, and this little twig thought she was going to school me just because she knew what an Akuma was and I didn’t? Bitch, please. “Where is _yours_?”

 

            “…I’d rather not have to break up another catfight when we’ve already got one on our hands…” Chat Noir interjected hesitantly. He giggled nervously and held his hands up in surrender when Ladybug scowled at him with intense blue eyes. To divert her anger he pointed up and behind us where Gloomclast had decided the best way was to _make_ a way and blasted through the building.

 

            Ladybug gasped and flicked out a device faster than my eyes could follow. The tail of it snagged on the monster-girl’s waist and I saw that it was actually a red yo-yo with black polka dots on it. I might have laughed if the little bug didn’t proceed to drag the mutant guitarist back into the building by its tiny string.

 

            “Try to get her guitar away from her!”

 

            My body reacted before I could think. Honestly, no matter how much I didn’t like this "Ladybug", saving the lives of the people was always more important and if she knew a way to do that then I would just have to swallow my pride. Only she didn’t seem to have the same mindset. Before I could even lift off the ground she barked at me, “ _Not you_. Chat Noir. You’ll just slow us down.”

 

            Irritated and not just a little mentally fragile all things considered, I decided that the best course of action was to blow her off. Literally. I swiped my fan in her direction and watched with sick pleasure as she wailed and fell over. She regained her footing quickly enough and even managed to keep hold of her yo-yo though it wasn’t nearly so easy now.

            Gloomclast wasn’t an idiot and had used the momentary slack to swing at Chat Noir who’d taken Ladybug’s directions and gone for the guitar. I winced, petty joy pushed to the back of my mind at his pin-wheeling descent. I heard Ladybug gasp desperately behind me but I simply jumped into the air and caught him in my arms before he could hit the ground. The impact knocked me back a few feet in the air but he wasn’t nearly as heavy I expected he’d be. I managed to stay airborne.

 

            “Why, thank you, milady,” the blond cooed and leaned in closer to my face. I could tell he expected me to pull back or maybe get flustered so just to spite him I grinned and tightened my hold on him.

 

            “You’re so _very_ welcome, pretty kitty~” His eyes widened in shock and his body tensed a little at my flirtatious tone. I laughed and lowered us back to the ground. He stumbled a little, still a little thrown by my comment. He stared at me and my playful grin for a moment before flashing one back and in a blink was off again after Gloomclast.

 

            “I thought you said your power was hypnosis!” Ladybug said as she recalled her yo-yo without even looking.

 

            I narrowed my (color) eyes at her and flipped my curled (color) hair over my shoulders, “I thought _you_ said _yours_ was creation? What’s with the yo-yo?”

 

            “ _Cataclysm!_ ”

 

            Ladybug reluctantly turned her eyes away from me to go after her partner. She flung her yo-yo onto a bit of railing and pulled herself up over the edge. I followed behind, watching curiously as an ominous black bubbling started up around Chat Noir’s right hand. He unceremoniously made a dive for Gloomclast who looked ready to parry such an obvious attack--

 

            “ _Starry Eyes!_ ”

 

            Without even thinking, I used my special power. I didn’t know what Chat Noir had planned but if his power was destruction I certainly didn’t want him to destroy the wrong thing. Ladybug squawked indignantly when the fabric-feathers hanging down my back—they had returned when I no longer had use for my fan—flared up high behind me. The yellow and dark blue designs—not unlike eyes--embedded at their ends started to glow and emit a weird disorienting but undeniably beautiful light.

            Gloomclast’s droopy eyes widened and turned to me, quite dazed. Her whole body pulled up short. Unfortunately, her halted movement meant Chat Noir sailed right passed her with a shocked squeak.

 

            I winced, “Well, that didn’t go as planned…”

 

           “You think?” Ladybug griped. She glared at me as best as she could while rubbing her eyes.

 

            I was embarrassed, naturally. But damned, if I'd show it. Instead I hmmph-ed and made a show of checking my clothed nails and flipping my hair.

            She growled and flicked her yo-yo out again.

            I was beginning to think that it didn’t require skill so much as mental direction to wield. It wrapped around Gloomclast’s guitar and yanked it from her limp fingers.

            Ladybug unraveled her weapon and broke the instrument across her knee with excessive force, “Why do I get the feeling you wished that were me?”

 

            “Next time? Stay out of the way,” she ordered.

 

            I made a point of ignoring her and instead pointed to where the monster was still staring at my flared tail mindlessly, “Um, was that supposed to do something because she’s still there and _Starry Eyes_ is not a permanent thing so…”

 

            “Milady! The Akuma’s in her guitar _pick_ not the guitar!” Chat Noir called out as he climbed back in through the hole in the wall.

 

            Ladybug gasped and whipped her head around to the monster. It had finally started to blink and shake its head as my light dimmed.

 

            “Any second now and I don’t think she’s gonna be happy with you for breaking her things~,” I sing-songed despite the rising panic in my chest. I flew out of harm’s way just for good measure as Ladybug flung her yo-yo straight up into the air.

 

            “ _Lucky Charm!_ ”

 

            “Seriously?” I deadpanned at both the name and what resulted. A ladybug patterned banana peel. We were so screwed.

 

            “No, watch! This part is amazing…,” Chat Noir practically swooned. I wrinkled my nose but decided to take his advice. He’d been decent to me so far so I saw no reason not to at least give him the benefit of the doubt.

            We watched with varying levels of enthusiasm as Ladybug wrinkled her nose at the item she’d received before casting her eyes about frantically, hopefully in search of something much more useful than _that_.

            I frowned, worried despite myself, when Gloomclast blinked her smoky eyes one final time and looked around. Naturally the first thing she spotted was her splintered guitar. Tears welled in her eyes and she _roared_.

            It seems the guitar wasn’t her only weapon. The soundwaves were too strong for me to stay in the air. I lowered myself to the ground even as I tried in vain to block out the sound with my hands. I might have been able to avoid what happened next if my eyes hadn’t closed but as it was…

            That damn banana peel just so happened to find its way right underneath my foot just as I was landing.

            I gasped and waved my arms frantically through the air in an attempt to regain my balance.

            No such luck.

            I screamed as I went barreling straight towards the screaming monster. She turned her head to me, wondering who it was that could possibly be making more noise than she, but it was too late. I barreled into her.

            Neither one of us had particularly good motor control at this point. She was still feeling the after-effects of my power and I was still reeling from both her loud noise and this stupid _lucky_ charm. Needless to say we both landed in a heap back on the gym floor. I heard something crack and the girl froze underneath me.

            Horror filled my body—‘I didn’t _kill_ her, did I?’—before I noticed a strange little black butterfly with white-purple cracks in its membrane fluttering up from beneath us.

            At the same time a huge swirling mass of mostly red light exploded from the sky and blazed a trail around the building. It left nothing its wake, everything having been restored to its previous state—even my dent in the catwalk and Gloomclast’s hole in the wall, "...What...?"

            Chat Noir’s giggling brought me back from my gawking. He landed in a crouch down in front of me, knees spread wide with his hands on the ground between them for balance, “See? Awesome! Was I right or was I right?”

 

            “Yeah…Totally.”

 

            “Maybe next time you’ll learn to stay out of my way.” I glared at Ladybug who smirked back at me as she twirled her glowing yo-yo through the air. My eyes widened as the form entangled with mine started to shake and bubble.

 

            “Eeek!” I cried and leapt away much to their amusement.

            I puffed my cheeks.

            They stopped laughing quickly though when a high-pitched chime wafted through the air from me followed immediately by a short rapid beeping from the only male in the vicinity.

 

            “Your Miraculous--” Chat Noir started to say, pointing to the pin in my hair. I couldn’t see it but I imagined the blue spots were mostly gone.

 

            “Yeah. Yours, too.” He looked down at his hand and flinched at what he saw. ‘ _So his is a ring…_ ’ I thought even as I turned and looked around for an exit.

 

            I purposefully flew in the opposite direction from where I was going to reemerge from without another word. Hiding in a random classroom closet, I reversed the transformation, snagged Duusu from the air, and sprinted back towards the gym. Creeping over to the repaired rail, I watched with narrowed eyes as the girl previously known as Gloomclast was tended to by Ladybug. Chat Noir was nowhere to be found and neither was that weird butterfly.

            Ladybug spoke to the girl softly but there was no mistaking the irritation making her lines stiff and jagged. She didn’t like me. Not one bit. I sneered.

 

            “Well, good. Because I don’t like you, either. Duusu, let’s go. Master Fu has some explaining to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, someone needs to deal with Chloe the way she really needs to be dealt with. Congratulations! It's you. Unfortunately because this _is_ Miss Bourgeois and her daddy does spoil her so terribly rotten, you can expect repercussions but in my opinion, it's worth it to piss Chloe off. 
> 
> Also, Ladybug/Marinette's jealousy is seriously ridiculous. You'll be combating that pretty hard, too.


	3. Simple Q's and A's

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there is slight Marinette-bashing in this chapter mostly in response to how she treated you in the last one. Don't worry, though, this whole story isn't about you two hating each other. You just have to get used to each other first.

            Master Fu’s Healing House was in the same place it’s always been. I couldn’t imagine someone almost 200 years old having to move very much. I climbed the stone stairs outside his building and pushed open the main door, the one he used for normal appointments and the like. It was a tiny but cozy little space with a single person sitting behind the counter manning the desk.

            There were no chairs since most people came only to make appointments or to keep them. There was no need for waiting around. A little wind chime alerted the receptionist to my presence. He smiled serenely and beckoned me over. I was already striding forward before he’d even noticed me, “I need to see Master Fu.”

 

            The man’s bright smile immediately disappeared. It was replaced by something more guarded and only slightly apologetic, “I’m sorry, Miss, but Master Fu has very…specific clientele.”

 

            I waved my hand irritably, “I know. The password is ‘the Great Guardian’.”

 

            He narrowed his eyes and dropped all pretenses, “Your name? I can let you by if you’re on the lis--”

 

            “[Full Name]. It’s there. Is he here right now?”

 

            I waited most impatiently for the receptionist to confirm what I already knew. After a moment he nodded his head and gestured to a tiny hall hidden from immediate view from the door, “Last door on your--”

 

            “Awesome. Thank you!” I chirped and power-walked down the tiny aisle. Six perfectly spaced doors lined the tiny walkway. Each one was closed though muffled murmurs filtered through as employees took care of their clients. The very last one on the right was the only one that offered no sound.

 

            I knocked firmly once before pushing the door open confidently, “Master Fu! I need to talk to you!”

 

            “Ah…Paonne Blue. I was wondering when you would return.”

 

            I glowered at the old balding Chinese man sitting comfortably in the center of that huge creamy mat in the middle of the room, “You must not have thought that I ever would if you gave out two more Miraculi!”

 

            “…” He stared at my angry form, taking in my flared nostrils, clenched fists, and frazzled appearance. Then he noticed the exhausted Kwami floating up to cling to my hair and closed his eyes. “I see you have many questions. I have many of the answers you seek but only once we have settled down, cleared our minds, and filled our stomachs.”

 

            My own chose that exact moment to rumble and I growled. Still, if there was anything I’d learned in my years of knowing Master Fu, it was that he was stubborn and possessed of infinitely more patience than I, “…Fine, but I still want to rant first!”

 

            A small kind smile curled at his lips as he inclined his head graciously, “Of course. I will prepare tea and biscuits while you do.”

 

            I watched him rise from his mat and move leisurely over towards a tea station in the far corner by the window. I couldn’t figure out where to start. Master Fu didn’t rush me and instead sent Wayzz over to help Duusu settle on the pillow at the head of the huge mat. I frowned, “Sorry, Duusu. I didn’t mean to ignore you…but I’m just so confused right now! And angry! Like who _is_ this girl?!” I winced at how shrieky my voice sounded but it felt good all the same. I get tired of bottling everything up and Master Fu was like the only person who would listen to me unbiasedly.  

 

            The cap came off and I started pacing and twirling my wrists in the air as I spoke, “Running around and flicking out her stupid yo-yo like she’s some sort of boss? And what _was_ that thing back there? I mean, come on! Why can’t anything ever just go right?!

            “I go from scrambling to afford a super cool art school that turns out to be nothing but a scam. I’m forced to come back with my tail feathers between my legs and after only like two days I’m dropped back into school only for my first day—no! _Half_ of a first day to end up like--! Like…! Like some scene from a freaking anime tv show! To top it all off, my sister’s going through some sort of murderous stage in her life, Chloé Bourg-fucking-eois is going to have it out for me for the rest of my collège life, and now I’ve got to share _my_ city with a fucking _ladybug_?! I mean at least the catsuit--”

 

            “…Cat’s suit?” Someone said.

 

            “Whatever! At least _his_ was _cute_!”

 

            The Kwamis giggled quietly to themselves as they lounged on the cushion. I ignored them, “And _what the hell_ is so _creative_ about a damn lucky charm? What does that even have to do with the power of creation?! Cataclysm; Destruction. It works. Starry Eyes; Hypnosis. It fucking _works_. A fucking Lucky _Charm_? _Seriously?_ No! Just no! Did you come up with this, Master Fu?! Nah, of course not. Of course not. You’re cooler than that. ‘Sides Miraculi have been around for millennia. You’re not _that_ old.”

 

            Master Fu chuckled, “Thank you.”

 

            “Does she even know what it _means_ to be a superhero?!”

 

            “I’m sure she is learning.”

 

            “Well, she needs to learn faster or I’ll teach it to her the hard way.”

 

            “Paonne Blue…Are you done?”

 

            “…” I considered his question seriously and while I was still pissed and embarrassed by the whole situation I had to admit that: “…Yeah…Yeah, I’m feeling a little better now. Thanks.”

 

           He simply smiled, “Hopefully, after some calming tea and lots of food it will change to ‘a lot better’.”

 

            It was too soon for me to laugh but the notion wasn’t lost on me. I watched Wayzz listen to Duusu’s prattling idly until Master Fu came over with a steaming tea cup and a saucer full of bite-sized snacks. He gestured with his head for me to sit and I complied, settling cross-legged across from him on his mat.

 

            I opened my mouth to speak but he held up a hand and gestured to my tea. I rolled my eyes and made a show of taking a sip. He nodded and folded his hands in his lap, “Now: what is it that you wish to know?”

 

            “What’s her real identity so I can kick her ass? I bet she won’t be so damn high and mighty then.”

 

            Master Fu sighed and looked at me admonishingly, “I thought you said you were done.”

 

            “I am,” I huffed and pointedly took another much larger sip of tea. “That was a joke…Mostly. But seriously, Master Fu? Why her? Why’d you give out another Miraculous? I thought you liked me.”

 

            “I did and I do,” he replied simply. “But you were gone.”

 

            “For only like a couple months, Master Fu!” I cried. "Surely that's not long enough to strip me of superheroine status? What's a couple months in an entire _lifetime_?"

 

            “Things changed a lot in that time.”

 

            “That’s what I want to know. What _things_? What changed?” I stressed, thinking back on the monster that attacked my school not even 20 minutes ago. “What’s happened that’s caused all of this?”

 

            Master Fu closed his eyes and simply sat in silence for a while. I sighed and nibbled on a biscuit.

            I might have been more concerned about leaving school to go visit a mystical old man if he wasn’t a friend and I wasn’t on my lunch break. Besides, a monster just attacked my school not even ten minutes ago. I’m pretty sure someone will buy the excuse that I was a little too worked up to learn.

 

            “I suppose it starts a few weeks after you left,” Master Fu started slowly. I took another bite of my morsel. “For a while it was fine. You were still a feared symbol for night crime and Volpin didn’t have much trouble to put up with. However, Volpin, like you, is still a student and took the opportunity to go away for a foreign exchange program in America. Still, the city’s crime remembered him so it was quiet. For a time.

            “But then people began to notice that no one flew the skies anymore. They didn’t see Volpin’s shadowy form streaking through alleyways after a time either. The criminals grew bold again….

            “So I gave out the Moth Miraculous.”

 

            I leaned forward, shocked and unsure if I wanted to also be upset or intrigued, “Wait, so you gave out _three_ Miraculi since I’ve been gone?”

 

            My jaw dropped when Master Fu nodded stiffly.

 

            “Its holder is a very busy man. A father and business owner. I thought this would work well. The bad people need only see that there was still a hero around even if the one in question couldn’t put as much time and effort into it as Paonne Blue and Volpin. When the two of you returned, there would seldom be a need for him anyway. I thought it would be fine but…I made a mistake and instead of using the Moth Miraculous for good, Hawkmoth has decided to use it for evil.”

 

            My brow furrowed as I tried to wrap my head around that, “Is that even possible?” I winced. “Well, it must be if you’re telling me but still…what does that mean for the Kwami he’s holding?” I looked to Duusu and frowned sadly. I couldn’t imagine forcing something so inherently good into being the exact opposite. It must be something super painful for poor Nooroo.

 

            Master Fu seemingly ignored my interjection and instead asked a question of his own, “Do you remember the powers granted to the bearer of the Moth Miraculous?”

 

            “Mmm…Vaguely. It’s on the Creation side of the wheel if I remember right. Usually only called upon when the other Miraculi, in the absence of the Creation and Destruction Miraculi, are not strong enough to solve a problem on their own.”

 

            Master Fu nodded, “Hawkmoth has used its power to provide additional hero support as a means to create supervillains instead with the sole purpose of collecting the other Miraculi. His end goal is to obtain the ultimate power of the Miraculous and control the world. Obviously I couldn’t let him get away with this but I am not suited for fighting anymore according to Wayzz so we agreed to entrust this battle to others.”

 

            “Which lead to Ladybug and Chat Noir…” I said, nodding in understanding. “But…” I frowned and shook my head instead. “But the Ladybug and Cat Miraculi together _are_ the super power of the Miraculi! Why would you give out the two Miraculi that Hawkmoth wants most? Why not give out the Bee or--!”

 

            “You are still young and you do not yet know all the secrets the Miraculi possess. But I will tell you this: not the Bee Miraculous nor the Fox or the Turtle nor even the great Paonne Blue--”

 

            I narrowed my eyes, “Are you trying to be funny?”

 

            “—are able to stop Hawkmoth alone. His power alone is one of multiplication for one and for another all five of them are on the same tier. The only Miraculi strong enough to defeat all of the other Miraculi combined should any more of them fall into Hawkmoth’s grasp are the Ladybug and the Cat who are on the second tier. And it is better to have them in use where Hawkmoth must fight to obtain them than to have them stored in a flimsy chest that is easily stolen by comparison.”

 

            “But Master Fu, if they _lose_ then he--”

 

            “And if they work _together_ …” Master Fu trailed off with a knowing smile.

 

            I sighed, “That is a risky gamble, Master Fu.”

 

            “I know. That is why I need your help to make sure things stay in our favor.”

 

            “But I don’t know how to fight his...” I hesitated, trying to remember the word that came up a lot during the fight. “Akuma. I don’t even know where to begin.”

 

            “It’s quite simple. Typically when granting tertiary powers to a non-miraculous holder, the Moth must ensure that there is enough energy to sustain the conversion either positive or negative. Once he finds one he likes, he must choose a catalyst and decide if it will trigger creative or destructive powers. Neither one is inherently bad nor good. It is all a matter of what the situation requires. Hawkmoth tends to associate negative emotions with ‘bad’ and so uses those negative catalysts—or Akuma—to create destructive monsters by making them inhabit something the receiver treasures. Only by destroying the trigger and sending back a blank catalyst can the receivers be set free.”

 

            “And how exactly is that done?”

 

            “I know what you are thinking, Paonne Blue, but only Ladybug can purify an Akuma. You are going to have to work with her for the sake of Paris and the world.”

 

            I sighed miserably, “I _knew_ you were going to say something like that…”

 

            “Don’t worry, Paonne Blue. I will not make the same mistake twice. Ladybug _is_ the right person for the job but you must have patience.”

 

            “…Are you trying to justify her shitty behavior?”

 

            “…No. But there is still much she and Chat Noir must learn before they are ready to accept their true purpose.”

 

            I stared at Master Fu for a long while before narrowing my eyes, “They don’t know about any of this, do they.”

 

            “…”

 

            “Do they even know who you are?! Or that _you’re_ the one who gave them their Miraculouses in the first place?!”

 

            “...Their Kwamis will lead them to me when the time is right. For now, I must ask that you leave that decision to them.” He said it so nicely but I knew a subtle order when I heard one.

 

            I sighed heavily and slumped my shoulders in defeat, “…Fine.”

 

            He bowed shallowly with a small smile, “Xièxiè.”

 

            “Oh! This is gonna suck _balls_! Oh, my God…!” I let the word trail off quietly until I had no more breath to spare before closing my eyes and strengthening my resolve. It was hard and reluctantly done. “But I will do it, Master Fu. You can count on me.” I snagged the plate of biscuits—mostly gone between me, Duusu, and Wayzz—and jumped to my feet. “Come on, Duusu. We’ve gotta get back to school. See you later, Master Fu! Wayzz!”

 

            “Thanks!” I tossed over my shoulder at the receptionist as I jogged out the door with Duusu hidden in my hood.

 

            “What time is it?” She asked as I bound down the stairs and made a beeline for a bus stop.

 

            “Uh…,” I dug around for my phone and pressed the home screen. “Quarter til.” Then I smirked and flipped my hair in the way Paonne Blue does when she was feeling particularly good about herself. “So what do you say we say a grand hello to all of Paris?”

 

            “Really?!” Duusu squealed.

 

            I nodded and looked around for a discreet area to hide in, “Sure! We’ve got time and it’ll only take a couple minutes so let’s do it! _Duusu! Flaring Feathers~!_ ”

 

            As soon as the blinding green light disappeared, I took off and this time I didn’t bother trying to hide. It was about time people knew I existed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Waaaaayyyy shorter than the previous one but I kind of expected as much. The last one had a lot in it and it's still missing a lot of tiny details I couldn't find a place for. Hopefully this is all making sense, though.


	4. First Day: After Lunch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I'm really kicking these out. I'm kind of proud of myself for that! Except I also feel bad for the other stories not getting updated so I suppose it's a double-edged sword.

            It was weird trying to go back to school after everything that happened. It felt like I’d done enough for the day to be over. Still, it seemed this happened often enough that everyone had learned to just continue on with their lives despite the interruptions. Even so, there was some sort of unrest among my class that wasn’t easily explained.

            I expected the students and staff to be at least a little jumpy after Gloomclast. I expected conversations about how scared they’d been and how traumatized they were and how unfocused their minds now were. It was certainly the case for me.

            But even the teachers continued on teaching just as they had before. There was a certain level of heightened awareness—the same sort of sudden wakefulness you get when you’re tired but almost got caught sleeping in class or when you see something that reminds you that the world isn’t such a carefree place—but nothing that struck me as abject concern over the school’s attack. Even the school-wide notice being sent home to each of our parents highlighting it seemed painfully mundane and routine. No one was concerned about it and yet the students were all whispering and chattering excitedly about _something_ whenever they thought their teacher wasn’t looking:

 

            “ _Psst! Alya! What happened?_ ”

 

            “ _Who was it this time?_ ”

 

            “ _You were there, weren’t you?_ ”

 

            “ _Are you kidding? Of_ course _I was there! Where ever Ladybug goes, I go!_ ” The girl murmured back proudly. “ _It was really cool. Here! I’ll upload it on my Ladyblog so you can all see._ ”

            She opened her book to a random page and sat it up standing on her desk. Under this cover, she flipped out her phone. I glanced around me briefly before scooting as close to my desk as possible. I made a show of pretending to be resting on my forearms while discreetly peaking over her shoulder. It wasn’t hard considering my desk was elevated above hers.

            I didn’t mean to be nosey. Really I didn’t. But I was _curious_. Everyone seemed to know something that I didn’t and today was a day to get answers apparently.

            I watched as Alya tapped away on her phone, silencing it before flicking through to the last thing she captured on camera. The thumbnail wasn’t anything distinctive; just a close-up of what I assumed was someone’s shirt. Then she pushed play and I realized it was a video taken just after Gloomclast appeared. While everyone was trying to get away, Alya seemed to be trying to get _closer_. She didn’t play the whole thing. She was much more interested in sharing it to what looked to be her blog.

            I tilted my head curiously. There were even more questions than I had before, one of the first being who even kept up with blogs anymore? But apparently Dupont did because when I settled back in my seat I saw a number of people—Nino, Juleka, Juleka’s blonde friend, Mylène, that rose-haired tomboy, and even Chloé—trying to discreetly check their phones.

 

            “ _Where is it? I don’t see it yet!_ ”

 

            “ _Give it a second! School Wi-Fi’s slow!_ ”

 

            Chloé, most likely frustrated that things weren’t going at her pace, huffed and dropped her phone into her bag. She crossed one arm over her chest and raised the other high in the air, wiggling her manicured nails delicately, “Excuse me, Miss! Alya’s using her phone in class! And it’s not for school work!”

 

            My eyebrows rose in surprise. Everyone else quickly hid their phones away before the teacher turned around. Unfortunately, Alya froze at the accusation. I narrowed my eyes and tapped her shoulder.

 

            “Give me your phone,” I hissed rapidly. She struggled to comply. Her jerky movements irritated me though I didn’t blame her for being reluctant to hand over her phone to a stranger. It fell into my hands just as the teachers eyes started to settle from turning around.

 

            I yanked my hands into my lap. At first I told myself that I wasn’t going to look. That this was a stranger’s phone and I shouldn’t be so nosey. But the screen was displaying such a huge amount of pink, white, and red. My eyes were naturally drawn to it. _The Ladyblog_ , I read before our instructor’s strong, irritated voice discouraged me from trying to catch anything else.

 

            “Alya. Put your book down.” Miss Césaire obeyed quickly. “Give me your phone.”

 

            “I don’t have my phone on me, Miss Autry.”

 

            The teacher’s eyes narrowed, “Stand up. Show me your hands.” Once again the class deputy did as she was told. At finding nothing the woman’s mouth twisted. I smiled to myself. She continued to stare at Alya, not sure if she wanted to believe her or not. In the end she let it go but emphasized: “Keep your book flat on your table from now on.”

 

            “Yes, Miss Autry.”

 

            I didn’t dare give Alya her phone back so soon. It’d be stupid with the teacher _and_ Chloé on the look-out for it. Alya was smart enough to understand as much too and didn’t try to get it back even after our teacher had reluctantly gone back to teaching.

 

            When class was over, though, returning it was the first thing I did. The screen had long since gone dark and besides I had no place trying to peruse her phone even if it wasn’t.

            She squealed and hugged it to her chest happily before looking up into my (color) eyes with her own brown ones, “Thanks, girl! You totally saved my hide!”

 

            “No problem,” I shrugged as I gathered my things and rose from my desk.

 

            “How’d you know she was going to ask to check me?”

 

            “I didn’t really. My sister used to complain about having her phone taken away all the time in History by this grumpy lady who always made her show her all her hiding places. The way she described her just reminded me of Miss Autry, that’s all.”

 

            “Well, either way that was awesome. Now I can show everybody the video I got of Ladybug and Chat Noir!” She drew a pattern onto her screen and grinned widely. “Sweet! It finished uploading. Oh, hey!” She paused and looked at me, practically bubbling with excitement. “You should subscribe to my blog! It’s dedicated to Ladybug but I cover lots of other things, too. What’s your number so I can text the website to you?”

 

            I wanted to ask if she couldn’t just write it down for me but no one really did that anymore. I gave her my number, silently praying while I did so that she wouldn’t be one of those people who constantly texted me nonsense. Then it occurred to me that if I was going to give my number away I might as well get someone’s, too, particularly the numbers of my old crew.

I trotted up the stairs and crossed the room from the back to intercept Juleka as she made her way down the stairs with her friend. She smiled that small happy smile she does when she didn’t expect something to happen but was pleased that it had anyway. I grinned widely and swayed my hips unconsciously from side to side as we exchanged numbers.

 

             “So! What classes do you guys have next?” I asked, being sure to make eye contact with her friend when I asked so that she wouldn’t feel ignored. I didn’t know her well enough to want her number yet but that didn’t mean it would always be that way. Juleka was a pretty good judge of character and if she’d chosen this girl to be her new main then she was probably a decent person to at least be nice to.

 

            “I have P.E. until the end of school.” The blond didn’t seem particularly pleased about this if the light stress lines over her forehead were anything to go by.

 

            “I have art and then English,” Juleka quietly informed.

 

            “I have English then Math. I don’t get to do anything fun until tomorrow.”

 

            “I thought you liked Math?” Juleka asked.

 

            “I do when it’s with numbers and only a couple letters. Not when there’s no numbers at all since everything’s been converted to triangles and degrees. I have no idea what I’m even looking at half the time.” Trigonometry was _awful_ even on a good day. Juleka smiled while her companion giggled.

 

            “You could always rejoin the art club. We still meet up most days after school.”

 

            “Oh, that’s right! I forgot about that!” Then I crinkled my eyebrows. “How could I forget about that?” I ignored my companions renewed laughter.

 

            It was precisely the art club’s supervisor what gave out the applications for that scam art school. He didn’t know it at the time—nobody did til recently—but that was really the only down time I had before to just do what I wanted to do. It was sad to think that now even that time would be gone with Hawkmoth running around.

            I frowned as resentment sparked to life in my heart. I didn’t even know this corrupted Miraculous holder and I already hated him. Not just for what he was consequentially putting me through but also for what it meant for his Kwami and the city and eventually the world if he succeeded. This wasn’t something I could afford to play around with. It would no doubt become a full-time job trying to bring him down and that meant the already tentative relationships I had would become that much more strained. I sighed and struggled to keep away the surprising wave of sadness and loneliness that assailed me.

 

            A hand on my shoulder brought me back from near tears, “It’s alright, [Name].”

 

            I looked up into the pretty russet eyes of my friend who smiled at me sympathetically, “It won’t last forever.”

 

             For a second my heart leapt. For a second—just an instant--I believed she understood what was stressing me out. But that was impossible, “And the sooner you get to class the sooner you can get out.”

 

            I felt my chest hollow out as my hope died inside it. I released a shaky sigh to try and get rid of the horrible feeling. It didn’t work. The tears seemed even closer now than they had before. I had to get out of here. With a forced a smile I said, “Y-Yeah, you’re right. I’ll…I’ll see you later, okay?” and walked purposefully through the class and out the door.

 

            It was a fast-walk; not quite a run, but something with purpose.

 

            “[Name]…?” I heard Duusu murmur quietly, concerned. She’d been with me long enough to know me intimately and could immediately sense when something was wrong. It was a mutual development.

 

            “It’s fine, bluebird, go back to sleep. You worked hard today…You deserve it…”

 

            She trilled back noncommittally and yawned, “…So do you…”

 

 

            The hallway was cooler than the classroom had been. I frowned at the cold but was thankful for it all the same. Its sudden appearance distracted me from the water collecting under my (color) irises. It was easier to collect myself when I wasn’t surrounded by people—when there were no eyes constantly watching and I didn’t have to keep up a certain image. It'd be terrible to be caught crying on the first day after all.

            There was no one in the English classroom besides the teacher. Everyone else was still outside trying to prolong the tiny five-minute break we had before classes started again. He glanced at me curiously so I made my way over and explained that today was my first day. Maybe I looked more torn up than I thought because his expression softened.

            He explained the expectations and required materials to me in a soft voice. There was a high participation expectation but he insisted I could wait until next class to really strive for that. I thanked him sincerely and took the first seat I saw which happened to be in the front. I didn’t feel like walking any further than that. I was tired now.

            I crossed my feet at the ankles and stared unblinkingly at my fingers curled in my lap. I don’t know how long I sat there staring as listlessly as a zombie. It was certainly long enough for the class to fill with students and their subsequent chatter.

            I heard someone settle down gingerly beside me and glanced over despite myself. It was a boy with flawless, glowing skin and matching pale green eyes. His golden blonde hair was thick and vibrant and surprisingly well-kempt for a boy our age. I blinked and stared a little more critically. He looked familiar in a vague way I couldn’t remember but probably should…

 

            Suddenly those glittering green eyes flicked over to me. At catching on my own (color) ones, the boy offered up a polite smile. I thought about looking away. I was in no mood for superficial conversation. But then he opened his mouth and spoke and I realized with an internal scowl that propriety and good manners could not be ignored.

 

            “Hi,” he offered simply. He seemed nervous for some reason that completely went over my head. What could someone like him possibly be nervous about? With effortless movie-star looks like his, he was probably the most popular kid in school.

 

            “Hello,” I offered back as neutrally as I could. It wouldn’t do to take out my bad mood on this awkward little thing that looked like he’d simply crumble to bits if I so much as frowned.

 

            He seemed to gain some confidence at my response. Perking up in his chair and flashing a more genuine smile. He held out his hand eagerly, “I’m Adrien Agreste.”

 

 _Adrien Agreste_. So familiar…Where had I heard it before? This morning? Maybe...I stared owlishly as I distractedly placed my hand in his, “[Full Name].”

 

 

            Little Adrien seemed at a loss for words after his introduction and shifted uneasily. It seemed to me he wanted to say something else but didn’t quite know how to go about it. In the end though concern took hold and he asked “Ar-Are you alright?”

 

            “…” It just occurred to me that I must have looked like a total creeper just now. I forced myself to blink and look away. I turned my attention back to my fingers and flexed them absently. “…Sorry. I’m just I’m a little out of it today...It’s been a very… _trying_ morning…”

 

            His expression cleared and he nodded, “I understand. I’m sorry your first day isn’t going very well.”

 

            I scoffed, “Don’t be. It’s hardly _your_ fault.”

 

            He flinched and I sighed, ready to apologize for my harsh tongue. But then I noticed a small disappointed frown start to settle over his face and the thought came that maybe he thought _he’d_ said something wrong. I rolled my eyes at the absurdity and offered a small smile to reassure him. He once again perked up and smiled brightly before he realized what we were talking about and shifted to something a bit more sympathetic. My smile unconsciously shifted into something a bit more genuine. He was… _cute_.

            Huh.

            That was first for the boys of Dupont.

            Seriously, though, that smile. There was something about it…

            “Mine wasn’t so great either,” Adrien confessed as he started to unpack his bag. “I think an Akuma showed up that time, too.”

 

            “Does that happen often?” I asked nervously. I didn’t know very much about Hawkmoth other than the bits about his abilities and my sample of it this morning. The thought of another supervillain hell-bent on world domination popping up out of nowhere at random intervals was a little less than comforting especially when it was now my responsibility to stand right in their path. What if I was busy with school during that time? What if I was sleeping or studying or (Jesus!) _bathing_.

 

            He twisted his mouth unhappily and my stomach plummeted, “Yeah, kinda...At least once a week. But it’s never more than once a day so don’t worry!” He added quickly at my expression. “Besides Chat Noir and Ladybug always work everything out. You’ll be safe.”

 

            The way he said it made me want to thank him though I couldn’t fathom why. I blew it off as a response to his attempt at reassurance. He smiled back easily, “You’re welcome.”

 

            “Oh, no no no no no.” The sudden cry came from our teacher. All conversation stopped as everyone turned to him, trying to figure out what was wrong. “You know the rules: No French-speaking in my class. We start… _now_!”

 

            I huffed in amusement along with everyone else in class and settled in for the hour. I took Mr. Gobeil’s free pass and spent the time just watching and observing everyone in class. Mr. Gobeil was a very engaging teacher. That high quota of participation wasn’t going to be anything to worry about. English was fun with him. And so was German if the other half of his huge chalkboard had anything to say about it. Out of everyone Max and Adrien seemed to be the most interested in the lesson. Max, I understood. Adrien, not so much. But whatever.

            I was sad to leave the classroom when the bell sounded even if Mr. Gobeil did put me on the spot and make all the students introduce themselves to me in English. I picked up my backpack and frowned at the wriggling I could feel but not see. Duusu was getting restless…

 

            “Hold on, Duusu. There’s only one more hour left of school--”

 

            “Bye, [Name]. Nice meeting you.”

 

            I looked up and saw the lingering bits of a smile and a short wave as my deskmate left the room, “Uh, yeah! You, too. See you.”

 

            “I want to get _out_.” I heard Duusu say imperiously, tiny voice muffled from layers of fabric.

 

            “Not yet,” I hissed. “Come on. What about all that out time you had during lunch?” I wrinkled my nose at how much like a teacher I sounded. Now I understood why they got so frustrated with our disquiet. “Just hush before you make me look like a weirdo for talking to my bag.”

 

            Trigonometry had to be the coldest room I’ve been in thus far. There was no way I could sleep through it which was probably the point. I couldn’t imagine it was comfortable for anyone but I had it especially bad with this damn skirt. Stepping out into the hall after it was over was like walking into a sauna after being outside in the snow. I had serious goosebumps.

 

           Out of pure reflex, my first order of business was to check my phone. Duusu did not willingly part with it though I understood why when I checked my screen. She was in the middle of a fashion article detailing the latest products in some of Paris’ top boutiques. The article was mostly done in pictures with little captions underneath each one disclosing why it was so great and where to get one. I rolled my eyes and started pushing the back button, intent on clearing out of all this mess. I paused however on an admittedly beautiful photo of a gorgeous blonde boy with glittering green eyes and glowing skin…My eyes widened and I flicked down to the tiny words printed directly under the photo before the description:

 

_©Vincent/Gabriel Agreste “Adrien Agreste Photo 25d5se”_

            “Oh! So _that’s_ why he looks so familiar!” I said and swiped through my phone until I hit the home screen.

 

            “Why _who_ looks so familiar?” Duusu snapped, curious despite her displeasure.

 

            “This boy in my class. He’s the one on the cover of all those magazines and posterbooks you browse through.”

 

            “ _Who_ , [Name]. I look at a lot of different things while I’m _locked away from the rest of the world_.” She nearly shrieked. I shushed her anxiously, casting my eyes about in case anyone heard. She simmered defiantly at the bottom of my bag.

            “Adrien Agrest--”

 

            " _ADRIEN AGRESTE?!_ ”

 

            I jumped and nearly dropped everything I was holding in my hands. When Duusu zoomed up out of her pocket I really did let them go.

 

            “Duusu!” I cried as I tried frantically to snag her from the open air. People had turned to me at the sudden shout and I blushed. Still, there was no time for damage control. If Duusu wasn’t going to hide, then I would just have to. She would follow me wherever I went anyway. Gathering up everything in my arms as fast as I possibly could, I glared at the Kwami chattering in front of my face and ducked behind the nearest bench. “ **Duusu**!” I barked as loudly as I dared but the little spirit ignored me.

 

            “Oh, Adrien Agreste… _The_ Adrien Agreste. You met him and you didn’t tell me? Oh, [Name]! That’s so not fair!” I couldn’t tell if Duusu was angry, excited, or heartbroken. She was flipping between extremes so quickly. “I want to meet him, too! I want to see him! I want to _staaarree_ at him. In person! Not just on your phone. Oh, I--!”

 

            “Can’t do any of those things, Duusu! That’s not how this works! Besides you were sleeping and I was in the middle of class. What do you want from me? God!”

 

            “To see him again so _I_ can see him!”

 

            “Ugh,” I dropped my head into my hands.

 

            “Is that a promise?”

 

            I lifted my head sharply to regard her incredulously, “I--wha—No!” A thoughtful expression crossed her face and I narrowed my eyes. “ ** _No_** , Duusu. I’m serious. Don’t make me take off my Miraculous.” I didn’t do it very often at all but sometimes it was necessary when Duusu became a bit too unruly.

 

            She calmed a little but frowned skeptically, still not quite convinced. “But I _hate_ it when you do that--”

 

            “Yes, I know…" I nodded. "I hate it, too. ” I admitted cajolingly when I perceived that I was starting to get through to her, “I love you, Duusu, and I love having you around. But you can’t meet Adrien and you can’t reveal yourself to the entire school like you just did now. If you do, then I will have to start leaving you off until I need you and that’s just no fun for either of us.”

 

            “…”

 

            “…Well?”

 

            “…‘S’not fair…”

 

            “I don’t make the rules, sweetie.”

 

            “…‘S still not fair…”

 

            I sighed and brushed a finger against her cheek, “I know. None of it is.”

 

            After reorganizing myself and making sure I hadn’t left anything on the concrete, I took out my phone again and flipped through my contacts. There was a message from a few hours ago from an unknown number. The preview of the message led me to believe that it was Alya. I skipped over it for now and dialed my sister’s cell.

 

            “ _What do you want?_ ”

 

            “Hey. I was just calling to see if you wanted to ride home togeth--”

 

            “ _No. Go away_.” Beep.

 

            I scowled and glanced at Duusu from the corner of my eyes, “And then she wonders why I pour nail polish remover into her shoes.”

 

            “Technically she doesn’t know it’s you. She just thinks she has really smelly feet,” Duusu pointed out morbidly. I knew she was sad and I felt bad but in the end there was nothing I could do about it.

 

            The ride home was painfully silent. Each passing minute just made me feel worse for what I’d said. To distract myself, I finally opened Alya’s text message:

 

_Hey, grl! Here’s the link to my blog! Check it out!_

            With an unenthusiastic sigh, I forged ahead. I wasn’t exactly eager to read up on anything having to do with Ladybug but if Alya recorded _everything_ , then surely there was something valuable to be found. Some tip or clue that would make this situation a little easier to deal with.

            Ladybug’s name was done up in huge white bubble letters with Alya’s headshot in a bubble at the end. Off to the right was a heroic silhouette of Ladybug but without her face and hair detailed. They were replaced by a single question mark surrounded by more red with black polka dots. To the far left was a close up of Ladybug’s face. Her undeniably pretty blue eyes gazed cutely into the camera. The two pictures were connected by a row of pink tabs though today’s posts were easily found directly underneath. The video thumbnail that I saw on Alya’s phone was now blown up wide. The caption above the post read: _Red. Black. **And Blue?**_

            I smirked despite myself, having a pretty good guess at what I was about to see. And sure enough after pushing play, I saw from a different perspective the fight between Gloomclast and  myself, Chat Noir, and Ladybug. It started with a recorded intro that Alya must have taken of herself after the fight though the commentary was smooth enough for me to wonder if some of it hadn’t been done as it was going on:

            “ _Duh-duh-duh-DUH~! Ladybug and Chat Noir to the rescue! Hahaha! Except today there was a new Lady on the scene!_ ” She said just as her camera whipped around to show me balancing on the rail. Watching it was different than it felt. For one, Paonne Blue looked infinitely prettier despite the fact that she was just me with really curly hair and a flashy blue outfit.

            (“ _Check out her clothes! It looks like a bird! Maybe Ladybug’s got a new partner!_ ”)

 

            For another, I didn’t look scared at all--

            “ _Or should we say some new competition? Because it doesn’t look like she’s too happy with the new blue bird flying around._ ”

            --though I did have a sickening resemblance to Chloé and my sister in my interactions with Ladybug. I didn’t like that.

            “ _Is she friend or_ foe _?_ ” My fan-swipe at Ladybug. My effort to stop Chat’s fall…

            Truthfully we looked more interested in each other than in Gloomclast. I didn’t notice just how much effort Chat Noir was putting in to keep the Akuma distracted until now. Alya switched often between the two interactions, unsure if she wanted to capture Chat Noir’s valiant fighting or Ladybug’s quarrel with Paonne Blue.

            (“ _We don’t know! But we can’t wait to find out. Stay tuned!_ ”)

            Even then it was easier to see how well Chat Noir and Ladybug worked together. Chat seemed to be hyper-aware of his partner’s movements and fighting style, so much so that he purposefully left openings for her.

            Openings that she was unable to fulfill because of my presence.

            I noticed this most prominently when Chat Noir had activated his _Cataclysm_. He’d dived forward, expecting Ladybug to restrain his target and she was already starting to. Her yo-yo was whizzing through the distance between them but then I jumped in with _Starry Eyes_ and then there was that bit with the banana and ugh--I couldn’t watch anymore. It was bad enough living through the embarrassment once. It was another thing to see it all from a different perspective and understand that you probably deserved what you got.

            I sighed, frowning deeply and flicked down even further. I almost didn’t want to see anything else but some sick fascination compelled me to do so…

            …Alya hadn’t written anything too bad. In fact, she seemed more focused on the fact that I was there at all rather than any disharmony I might have caused. There was an interview with the girl who’d become the monster and another video where she went around asking anyone if they noticed anything unusual. Most people she talked to were too busy running away when it happened but the trio of students that were there when I brought out my fan were able to tell her a lot:

 

            “ _It was really cool but really scary at the same time. It was coming after us and I had my tuba and Olivier had drums and it started screaming and it was really loud…There was this blue-bird-girl-thing in the air. Came out of literally_ nowhere _and blocked off its attack and the path..._ ” He blushed suddenly but shook his head and continued on. “ _I-It was awesome! And really strong because Chat Noir and Ladybug had to come and catch us since she made us fall…But not on accident!_ ” He scrambled to say, maybe in response to Alya’s expression. “ _I don’t think she meant to…But uh we didn’t stay long after that--Ladybug said it wasn’t safe…_ ”

 

            “ _You say you saw her even after the fight. Care to give us any details?_ ” Alya asked off-screen as she turned the camera to another student. I wasn’t paying attention to their faces so much as I wanted to hear their words…

 

            “ _Yeah! She was doing some really scary air tricks down the Eiffel Tower during lunch. I got some videos if you want to share them! I think she waved at me in one--_ ”

 

            “ _Oooh! Lemme see_!” The video started shaking and turning and wobbling as Alya lunged forward.

 

            “ _Sure! I got some other ones where she was doing like these rolling corkscrew things across the Pont de Ar--_ "

 

            The interview ended there as presumably Alya got distracted by shots of me fooling around. I smiled despite myself...

 

           

            “How was school, [Name]?” My mother gushed as soon as I walked through the door. She glanced behind me and blinked in confusion. “Where’s your sister?”

 

            I ignored her second question in favor of the first, “It…was…interesting.”

 

            “Uh-oh…What happened?”

 

            I wanted to laugh hysterically because _really_? What hadn't happened? The only thing I could even think to bring up was that, “Well, I saw some of my old friends. Some dude apparently took some really cool photos of me. Oh! And I met a famous teen model. He sat next to me in English but I think he's also in my homeroom.”

 

            “Aww! Oh! _Oh_.” She said as if something suddenly occurred to her. I tipped my head, confused but then she leered and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and I caught on. “Oh, God, was he _cute_?”

 

            I laughed at her expression, “Yes, Mom, he was cute. He’s a _model_.” I thought about the other cute boy I’d seen today and paused on my way to my room. “Oh! Before I forget! Here!” I said as I rummaged around in my bag for my folder. “There’s the new handbook and safety guidelines and a letter about the attack on the school before lunch. You might want to actually read that last one.”

 

            I didn't stay long enough to see her expression but no doubt it was golden.


	5. Slip of the Tongue, Trick of the Eyes...

            Chloé’s sidekick was right. By the next day everything had gone back to normal. I was still the new kid (kind of) but the topic had largely moved on from me. Sort of. I don’t know.

            I was tired. There was no other way to say it. There was no way to ignore it either. My yawn was so massive I ended up ducking my head to try and hide it.

 

             “Ugh, was that your breath I spelt just now?”

 

            I sighed, “Hello to you, too, Chloé….Unfortunately, that horrible smell wafting your way is due to your own perfume. You couldn’t smell me from all the way over there anyway though your nose is certainly pointed enough….‘S Probably why you’re so damn nosey…” I replied back blearily while rubbing at my eyes.

 

            I couldn’t be bothered to see what her reaction was. I didn’t care. I started to drop my head onto my desk before I remembered Duusu and scrambled to abort the action. I ended up catching my cheek in my hand and closing my eyes…Everything really did seem much better during the day…Maybe a little nap. Just until Miss Bustier started roll call...

 

            Duusu giggled in my ear. We’d decided after a teary bout (from _her_ , not me) that it would be best for her to hide out in my hair where she could at least look around even if she didn’t have my phone for entertainment. It was weird but it kept her happy and quiet so I left it alone, “Wow, I hate to say it but Chloé’s right: you really _did_ missed out on your beauty sleep.”

            Ah, so that’s what she’d said. Hm. Well, she wasn’t wrong.

            It was hard to sleep last night. I kept imagining every little sound was Hawkmoth planning another attack. I thought about transforming and doing a city sweep but I was tired. There was still a lot of moving and organizing and unpacking and Duusu wasn’t up to it either.

            I tried to take comfort in that Adrien the Model seemed pretty confident that the one we had would be it for at least a couple days. Still, he was but a civilian. As such, he could only know about the problems he himself was witness to. What about all the other incidents he never found out about? What about all the battles Ladybug and Chat Noir theoretically fought when no one was around to see?

            That was the life I was used to living—cleaning the streets from late night to early dawn so that people like Adrien could run around thinking the little bit they saw during the day was all there was to worry about…

            As it was, I was too tired to worry about Chloé. I shrugged as best I could and replied,  “Meh. She’ll always need more than I do. Her inside and outside are _both_ ugly.”

 

            Duusu hummed in that way people do when they understand your opinion but have an entirely different one of their own, “I think she’s pretty.”

 

            “She is,” I agreed easily. There was no denying _that_. “But her insides are so ugly they make the outside look ugly, too. Get it?”

 

            “Of course, [Name], I’m not an idiot.” I could just imagine her rolling her huge yellow eyes and crossing her little forelimbs.

 

            I huffed with a small smile, “Glad we got that covered. Now, if you’ll excuse me I’d like to get back to my na--”

 

            “Hey, [Name]!”

 

            “—yeevermind…” I trailed off disappointedly. Duusu giggled.

 

            “Wow, you look tired.”

 

            “Y’know,” I began as Alya grinned and took her seat in front of me. “That’s the second time I’ve heard that in less than five minutes. Do I need to find a mirror? Check for any drool? Sleep dust, maybe?”

 

            Alya laughed. Such a happy thing so early in the day… “Nah, you’re good, you can just tell the difference from today and yesterday.”

 

            “Oh. Well, that’s…okay?” She simply grinned and turned back around to start unpacking her bag.

 

            I started to close my eyes again but then Duusu let out the highest gasp I’d ever heard her make. Her little feet tapped sporadically across my neck as she kicked them frantically. Before I could ask, a familiar voice said, “Hey, Alya. Hi, [Name].”

 

            “Hey, Adrien,” I replied sleepily. I didn’t miss the way Alya snapped her head around to stare at me…Or the way Duusu murmured “Oh, my God, Adrien Agreste!” repeatedly in my ear with stress on a different syllable every single time.

 

            “I thought you said you didn’t know him?” The mocha-skinned girl smirked cheekily.

 

            “Technically I never said that…but you were right anyway. We met yesterday.”

 

            “But he was late to class.”

 

            “We had English together,” I explained impatiently. I slid my tired eyes away from Alya back to the blond who was making his way over to his seat. “I’m kind of impressed that you remembered my name though, to be honest.”

            He looked up at me, a question in those pretty green eyes. I don’t know why looking at them made my brain want to go blank. Maybe I was tired. Besides, I _was_ an artist and they _were_ an incredible shade of green especially in this lighting and at that angle and with the slight shadow over the—yeah…I’m really tired.

 

            “Why do you say that?” He asked curiously when his expression alone didn’t garner a reaction.

 

            I shrugged and purposefully focused on a spot just underneath the green orbs for my own sanity, “It’s just unexpected from a celebrity model.”

 

            “Oh.” He said simply. A shadow moved over his face as quickly as a heavy cloud cutting passed the summer sun. Curious. Especially when he smiled as if it’d never happened. Glancing at Alya’s face had me thinking that maybe nothing really had. Huh. Tired, indeed. “Well, it’s a pretty name and it suits you.”

 

            “Why, thank you, Mister Agreste. How kind of you to say so. Your name is lovely, too. Very easy on the ears.”

 

            “Easy there, girl,” Alya murmured to me when she noticed Adrien stare at me and then duck his head to scratch the back of his neck self-consciously. I tilted my head in confusion and no small amount of irritation at the insinuation. “He’s taken…kind of.”

 

            “Kind of? What’s that mean?” I whispered back while furrowing my brows.

 

             “Well, not much. Not yet, anyway.” she admitted. I was confused. She noticed and sighed, debating with herself before biting her lip and continuing. “It’s just that…Marinette’s got a huge, major, mind-blowing crush on the man and--”

 

            I rolled my eyes, “Yeah, so do like 10 million other girls.” From the corner of my eyes I saw Chloé look away from her compact mirror and gasp excitedly when she spotted her fellow blond. “That one included.”

 

            “Adrikins!” Chloé called, raising her voice to a higher pitch in an unconscious attempt to appear cuter. Honestly I never understood why girls did that. It’s like they expected all males to naturally be attracted to prepubescent sounds and sights which was really disturbing if I thought too hard about it.

 

            “‘ _Adrikins?’_ ” I repeated, affronted.

 

            “Her nickname for him. Apparently they’ve known each other since kindergarten or something.” Alya replied back, equally disgusted.

 

            “Huh. Well, looks like Marinette’s going to have to step it up. Chloé’s already got a horribly ‘cute’ petname for him!” I giggled into my hands.

 

            Alya started to laugh, too, but she gasped halfway through to say, “I know! Seriously, I’ve been trying to get her to confess for like _ever_ but she always gets so tongue-tied, the poor thing.” Well, that’s certainly no good but such were the woes of love. “Don’t tell her I told you!”

 

            “Don’t worry. It’s not my business anyway,” I waved my hand dismissively and closed my eyes…

 

             I heard Kim’s voice through a hazy fog. He was fussing with a brusque female voice, going on about some flaw or strength that was shared between the two of them…Chloé’s fawning over Adrien was a constant background buzzing…Nino came in, shocked to see his best friend in class on time for once…Apparently he was always chronically late with today being a rare exception…It seemed to be the day for exceptions because just as Miss Bustier announced class was starting, and the bell started to ring, the class representative burst through the door.

 

            “I’m here! I’m not late! The bell hasn’t finished yet, see?” She exclaimed even as she heaved heavy breaths and ran to her seat. She flashed a massive smile at Miss Bustier as she went, hoping that doing so would ingratiate herself. Miss Bustier simply closed her eyes and turned away to get ready to check attendance.

 

            Marinette deflated when her green eyes slid away. A huge exhale left her slumped over her best friend’s shoulder. Alya chuckled and lifted a hand to pet her dark hair, “Good job.”

            Marinette gave a weird, pleased ‘hee’ and raised her thumb limply in the air as she struggled to catch her breath. I closed my eyes again.

            There weren’t any special announcements or upcoming dates or anything like that for Miss Bustier to talk about so after putting our names in the system, she largely ignored us to prepare for class. I wouldn’t stay with her this time. I had Math for the next two hours before coming back to her for an hour of French and then leaving again for Science.

 

            “So, [Name]! Did you get a chance to check out my blog?”

 

            I opened my eyes with an internal sigh, accepting that I would not get a chance to rest. I shifted and stretched my arms across the expanse of my desk. I didn’t have a lot of space to work with since Ivan was so big but I was also pretty small so it didn’t bother me much, “Yes, I did.”

 

            Her face brightened at my words and she spun around in her seat, “Really? What’d you think? Awesome, right?”

 

            “You’re very dedicated.” She puffed her sizeable chest proudly. “But why just Ladybug?  Isn’t Chat Noir her partner or something?”

 

            She shrugged indifferently, “Well, they’re a team so he gets some time on the Ladyblog, too, but…I _really_ like Ladybug. She’s the best!” She gushed.

 

            It was my turn to shrug indifferently, “I don’t really care. I was just wondering, that’s all. Maybe someone will do one for him, too, eventually.” That sounded kind of mean so I rushed to add on something flattering to spare her feelings. “Either way, you’re really good at reporting and investigating. Do you want to be a journalist when you grow up?”

 

            “I don’t know! I mean, I love what I’m doing for the Ladyblog but I can’t imagine being told what to report on, y’know? Like what if it’s boring?”

 

            “Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m sure anyone would pay you to keep up the hard work you’re doing covering Ladybug,” Marinette spoke up encouragingly.

 

            “Won’t people get tired of the same thing after a while, though?” The thought came out before my mouth could filter it. It wasn’t meant to be an insult or anything—just a question sparked by my own curiosity. It wasn’t appreciated.

 

            “What do you mean?” Marinette asked firmly. The question struck a nerve though she was trying valiantly to hide it. There was no mistaking the way her blue eyes flashed though. I was actually happy to see her jump to her friend’s aid even if I wasn’t posing any real threat. She never used to stand up for anything, not even herself. It was a good improvement.

 

            I raised my hands in the air, “Whoa, there. Nothing. Just that maybe instead of just recording everything she does, you try to, I don’t know, make her more relatable or something?”

 

            My words sparked a sudden fire behind Alya’s brown eyes that honestly had me worried, “You mean like find out who she really is?”

 

            Marinette was quick to shut down that idea. She shook her head and frowned, “That’s impossible.”

 

            It wasn’t. Still, Miraculous identities were a secret for a reason and I didn’t think saying that would be the best thing to discourage Alya from that path.

 

            “You think so?” Alya frowned, a little put off by being shut down so fast.

 

            “Well…I…”

 

            “What are you guys talking about?” Nino asked suddenly from his spot in front of Alya. Adrien turned away from his conversation with Chloé to listen, too.

 

            “Ladybug.” Marinette said simply. 

 

           “More specifically, if it’s possible to find out who she really is. Marinette doesn’t think so,” Alya explained and stared pointedly at her best friend.

 

            All eyes turned to the Chinese girl and she bristled a little under their stares, “I just don’t think we should be trying to figure out who she is, that’s all.”

 

            “I don’t know. I think it’d be cool to find out who’s under that mask.”

 

            Marinette’s eyes widened and a massive blush covered her face at Adrien’s words. She looked torn between wanting to run and wanting to melt. I laughed to myself. Alya smiled nervously.

 

            Nino was the only one who didn’t seem to catch on to what was happening. Or maybe he had his own agenda because even as Marinette stared at Adrien, awe-struck, he stared at her with an oddly sweet smile on his face, “I have to agree with Marinette on this one. If she wanted us to know who she was, she wouldn’t run around with a mask all the time.”

 

            Alya stared between all of her classmates for a while before huffing, “Hmmph. Well, I’m going to try it.” She whipped out her phone and curled up in her seat excitedly.

 

            Marinette’s smile was strained but she didn’t say anything more to dissuade her. Instead she tried to redirect her attention down a different route, “But isn’t it too soon to start doing that?”

 

            I couldn’t see Alya’s face but from how Marinette’s shifted, I could imagine she wasn’t being very receptive, “What are you talking about?”

 

            “I mean, don’t you want to know more about that other girl who showed up yesterday? I’m sure everyone’s more curious about her right now than who Ladybug really is. Right?” She laughed nervously in an attempt to keep the conversation hypothetical.

             I couldn’t be sure since Marinette’s body language was so anxious but it almost seemed like she was wondering for her own peace of mind. I decided to do a little fishing, “You don’t know who she is?”

 

            It was a legit question, not only because I wanted to see what Marinette thought but also because I was a little edgy. It was strange for me to transform in broad daylight. It left me feeling vulnerable and Duusu’s little outburst after school didn’t help matters any.

 

            “No. We’ve never seen her around before.”

 

            “It’s always been just me—yer Ladybug and Chat Noir until now.”

 

            “Where’d she come from?” Alya asked conspiratorially as if anyone besides me would have the answer. They all (thankfully) shrugged, just as lost as she was. I expected that to be the end of it but the brunette grinned and scrambled to pull out a notebook. “Okay, Marinette, you’ve convinced me now help me come up with questions to find answers to.”

 

            “Uh-oh…” Duusu murmured in my ear and I frowned. Uh-oh was right. This was not the way I envisioned this conversation going.

 

            “Really?” I started derisively in an attempt to maybe subtly bully her into changing her mind. Maybe if I made it seem like a stupid idea, she would stop? But it was as if she didn’t even hear me. Maybe she was too focused on the questions Marinette started listing off almost immediately:

 

            “What’s her name? What does she want? Do you think she’s evil? Is she--”

 

            “Nah, she can’t be. She’s too pretty!”

 

            “Stormy Weather was pretty, too, and look what she did.”

 

            “They’re talking about you…,” Duusu murmured quietly next to my ear. I jerked my head once, irritated.

 

            “I know, I know. And I don’t know how to get them to stop…Damn it.” I watched Marinette spout off questions animatedly to a furiously scribbling Alya. _Starry Eyes_ would be absolutely perfect right about now. But then maybe not because then I’d be Paonne Blue and that was exactly who they wanted to see right now…“How do we fix this?”

 

            “…We don’t.” I heard Duusu say after a moment of ~~nerve-wracking~~ thoughtful silence.

 

            I sighed and cradled my forehead in one hand. Frustrated and tired, I was in no mood for Duusu’s games, “What are you talking about? We can’t just--”

 

            “No, listen!” She yelled as loudly as she dared in her whispered tones. “This could be good! Remember when we went out flying yesterday?”

 

            “Of course I do. What’s--”

 

            “And remember how scared they were of you?”

 

            I nodded minutely. It was a natural reaction I supposed especially if Akumas were suddenly showing up left and right all the time. I was more likely to be seen as one of them than as a hero like Ladybug and Chat Noir under such circumstances.

 

            “Exactly! So why not show them that’s there’s nothing to be afraid of?”

 

            “…Run into the spotlight instead of away from it…”

 

            “And smile! A lot!”

 

            “Ha. Yeah, I suppose that does make people like you more. Huh.” I said thoughtfully. After a time I shook my head a little. “Well, at the very least it’s more honest than trying to stay hidden--”

 

            “…Who are you talking to?” I heard a heavy but quiet voice say from my right. I blinked up (and _up_ ) in surprise at Ivan. He was looking at me a little oddly and leaning his body very subtly away as if he expected me to suddenly jump on him.

 

            “Uh…” I flashed my teeth in a terrible mockery of a smile, “No one. Pep-talk.” I said and pointed at him in that way people do when they think they’re being cool. “I’ve got Trig next. Two hours. Gotta get ready for that, y’know?”

 

            “Oh, so does Mylène,” he said with a sudden, small smile. I blinked once again, having not expected such an expression from the beefy male. I smiled at how well it suited him. Honestly, he looked more like a teddy now instead of a hulking grizzly.

 

            “Aww, really? That’s great! I haven’t had a chance to really talk to her yet with everything that’s happened.” I bounced a little in my chair, excited now that I had something to look forward to in math. Silence settled between us. It wasn’t uncomfortable but I felt like it was an awkward, random stop so I opened my mouth again to ask an admittedly droll question: “So…What’s on your schedule for today?”

 

            Seriously. It was like asking about the weather.


	6. Damage Control

            “Are you sure this is the best idea?” I said to Duusu as we made our way down the hall. It was easier to talk to her when so many other students were moving about. They were loud and most lips were moving so even though I wasn’t talking to any of them, no one would notice.

 

            “You can’t back out now!” Duusu replied firmly as we all crowded out the front door. School was finally over for the day. It being Tuesday meant that there was no school tomorrow on Wednesday which was honestly a relief. Only two days in and I felt like I was already in need of a break.

 

            “Sure I can. I haven’t actually done anything ye--”

 

            “But it’s not about [Name] doing anything; it’s about Paonne Blue.”

 

            “I could’ve sworn we were the same person.” She giggled.

 

            “Trust me,” she said simply. Somehow it felt like she was laughing at something else—some inside joke based on some hidden knowledge that I wasn’t privy to. It made me feel naïve which was honestly unnerving. But Duusu was thousands of years old. It was easy to forget sometimes with the way she acted but sometimes she dropped subtle reminders like this. I wanted to ask but I don’t think she would have told me anyway. Either way it was probably best to trust the judgement of a seemingly immortal spirit who’d coached all Paonne Blues since the beginning on this matter rather than rely on my own 14 years of experience. I sighed and stamped down on my reservations and looked for a good place to hide.

            There was a tree nestled just off the stairs. Hiding behind it locked me in a corner from which I was hidden from every angle except from above and considering people rarely looked down…“Fine. Let’s go then. _Duusu! Flaring Feathers~!_ ”

 

            I knew that once I started the transformation the light would attract a lot of eyes. It was just a quick burst and yet that burst was bright and green. It wasn’t nearly as perceptible as when I did this at night but I was still very cautious. As soon as the last bits of fabric bonded to my skin, I shot up into the air and made for the roof. Its design was such that only the very top was flat and wide enough to stand on comfortably. The problem was that the angle would obstruct my view of the ground. And yet most of the roof was slanted at a very steep pitch with only a thin band of flat material outlining them in a similar fashion to gutter pipes. It was a riskier position in that any random person looking up from across the street would see me but it was the best choice considering what I had in mind.

            I camped out up there, scanning the crowds intently for a caramel-skinned girl with brown hair dipped in russet red. It took longer than I expected or maybe I was just impatient. I was reminded starkly of those slow nights when I would camp out on rooftops waiting for something to happen that never did. Watching and waiting was always difficult no matter how much experience I had with the task. Eventually, after the crowds had largely thinned and only a few students were left milling about, Alya left the building with Marinette at her side.

            I perked up and hovered a few feet above my platform, ready to take off in an instant if they hopped into a car or caught a bus or some other fast-moving mode of transportation. It occurred to me that I hadn’t considered the metro. It ran underground. There would be no way to track them then—not unless I wanted to flit around after a subway train in the dark. Paonne Blue was bold; not reckless nor suicidal. The pair started walking away, towards a crosswalk and I frowned. However, before I could fret too much about trying to work out a hypothetical route, they stopped inside a building build right on the corner.

            They were hanging out at Marinette’s house. Huh. Well, that solved half my problems especially if they were going to stay there for a while. I relaxed and cocked my hand on my hip, looking around for a good place to start up an airshow.

            Obviously the Eiffel Tower was right behind the school but I wanted something a little less obvious.

            And yet it was precisely that desire to stay out of sight that I was supposed to be working against. The whole purpose of this little escapade was to flaunt to the public and purposefully put myself out there so I could assuage the masses fears. The last time I went out in public had just been for my own personal benefit. Duusu wanted to see the city again and I wanted to burn off some energy after my tumultuous half-a-first day at school. This time, though, I’d have to aim to please.

           It left a sour taste in my mouth. I didn’t like catering to people. More often than not they were just like Chloé--entitled spoiled little brats that didn’t deserve the damn air they breathed. And yet I contradicted myself because as much as I hated _most_ people, I couldn’t stand to see those few that really deserved to have a break in life hurting or suffering for no good reason. There was of course no way to tell who was who and which person deserved what. I wasn’t God after all. All I could do was help as many people as I could and hope that they were the good ones and not the ones I wanted to punch in the face.

            It wasn’t something I used to give a lot of thought to since I worked at night but from what I’ve seen on the _Ladyblog_ , Hawkmoth would have me pretty active during the _day_. Those poor _good_ people would see me now and it would break my heart if they were _afraid_ of me when all I wanted to do was help.

            All that was to say that in the end, I did choose the Eiffel Tower as my stage. More accurately I chose the park that stretched at its feet. It was crowded (how could it not be) which might have posed a problem if the situation was different. After all, the main point was to snag Miss Césaire’s attention. That would be a little difficult if I couldn’t even make out who she was with all these faces. However, Parisians had adopted a rather ~~insane~~ healthy amount of fear since the last time I’ve lived here. They screamed and started to scatter as soon as they noticed my figure floating in the sky.

            It really was rather impressive how quickly they could move. Soccer balls, Frisbees, picnic baskets, blankets, umbrellas, lawn chairs, _food_ —all kinds of crap flew through the air as people scrambled. Some were trying desperately to gather their belongings. Some started to but then the fear of uncertainty became too much for them and they fled with the little they’d already managed to gather in their arms, forsaking the rest. And then there were the ones who just said “fuck it” and ran like their very lives depended on it, unconcerned with who or what was in their way. In any other situation they might have been right. Right now though it all seemed just a tad overdramatic.

 

            “Whoa! Whoa! Easy, there, Parisians! Where’s the fire? I’m not here to hurt you! I just wanted to join the party!”

 

            They just screamed even louder and started flipping over each other to get away. I pursed my glossy lips and frowned. That obviously wasn’t the best thing to say. I didn’t immediately understand why but when I thought back to Gloomclast who wanted to be a world-renown super classic rock star and went around spreading depression just to gain ‘adoring’ fans…yeah. I could see how that might trigger some people. It was like seeing a doll that sung about playtime after watching a Chuckie movie…when Chuckie was actually likely to show up in real life…

            Hmm.

            In that case, I wasn’t sure how I was going to get through to these people.

            I supposed the logical thing was to do the opposite of what they expected me to do. Laugh joyfully, not sinisterly. Wave instead of striking—

            ‘ _And smile! A lot!_ ’

            I huffed and shook my head. But really what harm could it do? I smiled.

            It didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that focusing on the people made them nervous—left them feeling more like helpless prey in the eyes of a hungry predator rather than the irrelevant side-pieces they technically were in my plan…So I ignored them. In the end it didn’t matter if they stayed or ran anyway. All I needed was Alya who was—if her track record had anything to say about it—that dumb girl in the scary movie that ran _into_ the scary haunted house instead of _away_ from it like everybody else. Ironically, their screaming and running were probably doing me a favor.

            Still, maybe flying above them was an added and unnecessary stress-factor. They probably expected some sort of wide-radius attack that would leave most of them incapacitated since I had the ability to target so many of them at once. I lowered myself to the ground, touching down gingerly with one foot and then bringing down the other.

            I tried to keep my movements slow and nonthreatening. I didn’t lift my arms a lot or make any lasting eye contact. I just stood there, watching them all flee from me. Pretty boring from this angle, all things considered…

            I gave it three minutes before I started noticing a couple figures starting to move towards me instead of away. Some were moving faster than others, caution and bravery no doubt the deciding factors. Naturally that meant Alya was leading the pack despite starting from furthest away. I was actually rather impressed. She got here even before the police and news crews. Then again no one probably had time to report me yet which was probably what she and those other stragglers were aiming to do. I smiled. She was closing fast.

            At a distance of maybe 30 yards, Alya paused to fiddle with her phone, that was all it took for a flash of red to intercept her. Ladybug. That meant the sudden waft of displaced air that brushed up behind me and made my shoulders jump was—

 

            “Hey…It’s you!”

 

            I turned and sure enough there was Chat Noir. He’d been lowered into a wide fighting stance, bo-staff pointed firmly in my direction though he retracted it—literally shrunk the thing like it was made out of some sort of elastic material instead of heavy metal—when he noticed me and straightened with a smirk. It fell quickly as he whipped his head left and right, “Wait…Where’s the Akuma? I don’t see anyone.”

 

            “Yeah, you wouldn’t,” I pointed out lightly.

 

            “Huh?” He turned his head back to me and I noticed then that all the extra green I saw wasn’t part of his mask. It was his _sclera_. They were bright, lime green. It was such a pretty, vibrant shade, causing his glittering neon irises and elongated pupils to be that much more noticeable…

            I couldn’t help it. I crossed the distance between us with a quick burst of flight and hovered in front of his face, scrutinizing him. He jolted at my sudden approach and might have said something to me. I’m not sure. I was too focused on his eyes. It was such an impossible, mesmerizing effect. If I tilted my head this way the irises were green…that way, shrouding his face in shadow, and they were almost colorless. But if I moved my head and let the sun shine…they blazed almost yellow though it didn’t matter which color I saw because either way they freaking glittered as if they created their own light-- “Hey! Uh…”

 

           “Paonne Blue,” I offered quickly, off-handedly before diving into what I really wanted to know: “What color would you say your eyes are?”

 

            “Uh…Green?” He fluttered them unconsciously as I moved back and lowered myself back to the ground.

 

            “Huh.” I shook my head to dispel whatever had suddenly came over me. “Well, either way you won’t find an Akuma here.”

 

            “You already took care of it? All on your own?” He seemed torn between bemused and amazed.

 

            I giggled and shook my head, “Oh, no! It would be splendid if I could but--”

 

            “What’s going on? What are you doing here?” A loud authoritative feminine voice demanded of me.

 

            I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I could see Alya recording from a distance and I would hate to spoil my intro video with senseless bickering. I wasn’t here for Ladybug after all though I should have known she would show up. She thought this was her city so of course she’d go investigate a disturbance especially one that caused so many people to run away screaming bloody murder. I smiled as Duusu would no doubt expect me to do and shrugged lightly, “Nothing. I just saw a bunch of Parisians hanging out in the Parc du Champ-de-Mars and thought it’d be fun to hang out. I didn’t expect them all to run away like that. Sorry.”

 

            I delivered the half-lie with a faux apologetic smile that quickly shifted into something a bit more friendly. I might as well try to make up for last time while I had the chance if I’d have to start working with her. I stuck out my hand, “I’m Paonne Blue by the way. We got off to a rocky start last time but--”

 

            “Paonne Blue!” The three of us broke apart as Alya burst into the middle of our circle. Ladybug frowned but Chat Noir rolled with the development easily. “Is that your name? I’ve just been calling you Lady Blue in my head. Are you a superhero? Are you going to be helping Ladybug and Chat Noir protect Paris? How’d you get your powers? Where’d you come from? Can you really fly or is it some sort of magical tool like Ladybug’s yo-yo or Chat Noir’s stick that helps you move through the air? Why a bird? Did you--?”

 

            At first I faltered at the seemingly endless wave of questions, sure that I had bitten off way more than I could chew and feeling a little out of my depth. But then I noticed her eager smile and reminded myself that this was Alya Césaire. Even if she didn’t know that it was me under this mask, Alya was cool and laidback and easy-going. She wasn’t anything to be afraid of. In fact her fearlessness, Ladybug and Chat Noir’s close proximity to me, and the lack of any explosions or fighting was encouraging those lingering further off from running away. Instead they were becoming curious and pointing fingers and whipping out phones. I looked back at Alya, determined to give her all the information she needed before the others could come and claim it for their own, “Wow, that’s a lot of questions there but let’s see: Yes, my name is Paonne Blue though Lady Blue has a nice ring to it! Good job! Uh…I, yes, I’m a superhero—heroine, if you would. I’ve actually been here for a while I just got…busy and had to take care of some things a few cities over but I’m back now um…What were your other questions again? You ran through them so fast…”

 

            “Can you really fly?”

 

            “Oh, yes,” I replied with a grin. I lifted into the air a little above their heads and did a simple, tight, backwards loop before returning to the ground. “It’s one of my favorite parts of being a superheroine.”

 

            “So. Cool.”

 

            My made of show of appearing flattered, “Why, thank you! What’s your name?”

 

            “Alya Césaire!” She responded back breathlessly. She started turning her camera around, taking in Ladybug and Chat Noir who had lingered but were talking quietly with each other. “Oh! Ladybug--”

 

            “I’m sorry,” Ladybug interrupted before Alya could say any more than her name. “But if there’s no trouble, I really have to get going.” She didn’t waste any time and flung out her yo-yo to snag on the Eiffel Tower's lower beams. She arched her body so that she swung around the Tower and retracted her yo-yo at her highest altitude. Before she lost any upwards momentum, her yo-yo was whizzing through the air to latch onto something else. She repeated these motions until she disappeared over a rooftop.

 

            Both of us looked at Chat Noir but it was Alya who rushed to ask, “Aren’t you going to leave, too?”

 

            “Maybe. After I learn a little more about my new partner,” he turned his eyes to me and wiggled his masked eyebrows salaciously.

 

            I gazed at him and raised one of my own brows. I couldn’t tell if he was being one of those typical braindead boys who saw a cute girl and decided they had to bone her or not. He didn’t seem like it in the tiny bits I caught on the _Ladyblog_ or the last time I met him but then he was fighting. Still, Alya and Ladybug were pretty girls, too, and he hadn’t treated them with any disrespect so I decided to let him have that one. Besides, it wasn’t often I got to play with cute boys so I might as well enjoy it while I had one so willing, especially when neither of us had to worry about who the other person really was in real life.

            With that thought in mind, I hummed musically and cocked my hip out to the side, “If that’s the case then we should find somewhere a bit more private, shouldn’t we?”

 

            Chat Noir’s saucy attitude failed him for a moment. He seemed shocked and suddenly nervous, not unlike the last time I responded back to his flirting with some of my own. He didn’t answer so I grinned mischievously and launched myself at him, “Here, kitty-kitty~”

 

           His entire body locked up when I wrapped my arms around his form and lifted us both into the air. He curled himself around me, clinging almost desperately as I shot through the air. It was weird having another body so close to mine, especially a male clad in such a tight suit...

           His muscles were firm despite how lean they were. I could feel the strength in his legs and arms as they wrapped tightly around my waist and neck. Hero-work was a taxing workout but most of the abilities and strain placed on our bodies by running, vaulting, lifting, and such were taken on magically by the Kwamis. They provided the extra strength, stamina, speed, agility, and resistance we needed to focus solely on getting the job done. That’s why they were always so tired after transformations wore off. Clearly this boy worked out or at least participated in a full-body athletic activity in his normal life. There was no way to explain the extra muscle otherwise.

 

            “Are you afraid of heights?” I teased to distract myself. My tone did little to ease his nerves though he tried to play it off.

 

            “Ha! Me? Afraid of heights? Of course not! I’m a cat! I _love_ heights!”

 

            “Is that why you’re digging your claws into my skin?”

 

            “Oops! Sorry!” He chirped but couldn’t bring himself to loosen his hold even a bit.

 

            I laughed, “Don’t worry. It doesn’t hurt. And I won’t drop you so relax.”

 

            “Ha! How can you be so sure?” He did a good job of turning his comment into something teasing instead of worrying.

 

            “Because you’re not heavy.”

 

            “That or you’re just crazy strong.”

 

            I might have shrugged if my hands weren’t full, “That, too.”

 

            I didn’t keep us airborne for very long. Chat Noir didn’t seem like he could handle flying and I was getting embarrassed by this position anyway. I chose a taller roof at random and maneuvered Chat Noir’s body until he was dangling over it, his wrists holding firmly onto my own. I let him go when he pulled on his hands and he dropped to the blue shingles with a grunt, landing on all fours.

            He rolled to his feet and smirked at me. Not that I noticed. I was little distracted by the way his body looked as it moved in that tight black suit. He was fluid and confident; graceful in a way that he really shouldn’t be for someone most likely in the middle of puberty. It was distracting. Not in a sexual way (though that was certainly there, Jesus Christ) but in an artistic sense. Like when you see jaw-dropping art and effects in movies or anime TV shows that make you want to rewind it over and over again just because it was that overwhelmingly beautiful. It was a shame I didn’t have my camera on me. He would be a fabulous model.

            Except for that odd smell. Like dirt. Or mushrooms. Or hay…or something equally smelly you’d find on a farm. I wrinkled my nose as I touched down, eying him suspiciously. I didn’t have a pet of my own but Juleka had a cat. It was just as skittish as she was and when it got scared sometimes it would start to smell. She’d always said it was because it released… _things_ …from its anal glands…

 

            “What’s that smell?” I decided to ask before jumping to conclusions.

 

            Chat Noir’s face blanked before a scowl settled over it, “…My Kwami likes Camembert cheese.”

 

            “Erp.” My eyes widened and my eyebrows wrinkled but it was no use. I burst out laughing.

 

            “Oh! You poor thing!”

 

            The blond boy didn’t get offended. Instead he slinked forward and bent until he could look upwards into my downcast face, “I know. You should take pity on me. What do you say?”

 

            I grinned and lowered my face even further. “Oh, of course. Tell me: what would you like?”

 

            As expected, that stricken, embarrassed look in his eyes. I huffed and flipped my hair, “Why do you do that?”

 

            “Do what?” He responded as if nothing had transpired.

 

            “Say those things and then freeze up when I say them back?”

 

            “I…guess it’s because I’m so used to Ladybug ignoring me when I flirt with her.”

 

            “I’m not Ladybug,” I pointed out, needlessly.

 

            “I know. I apologize, my lady,” he said with a bow. Then he reached out for my hand. My eyes widened when he placed a kiss on the back of it. I met his glowing eyes and for a moment my heart started beating faster…but then he grinned mischievously and the spell was broken. I huffed through my nose but smiled back anyway.

 

            “You are forgiven,” I responded in my best snooty voice. He dipped his head as he released my hand and stood up straight. He was tall.

 

            “But who are you? Really?”

 

            “I thought we covered that. I’m Paonne Blue.”

 

            “No, I mean, are you really here to help us fight Hawkmoth?” He seemed happy, excited almost.

 

            “Yes. I really am. I meant what I said. Why? You don’t believe me?”

 

            “Oh, I do. It’s just I’ve gotta go now and I wanted to make sure this wouldn’t be the last time I saw you. I still have questions, after all.” He winked and ran a hand through his golden blond hair.

 

            I laughed to mask how that made my stomach flip. It’s not like any of this really meant anything anyway. We didn’t even know each other and he’d already established he liked to flirt. I might as well keep it at that and just enjoy playing with him for as long as I could, “No. I’ll be around. We’ve got a lot of work to do, after all.”

 

            “Cool. See you around!” He saluted me and then flipped ostentatiously from this roof to the next before dropping onto all fours and going about his way. He seemed to know that I’d be watching his retreat since he peppered it with admittedly impressive stunts in agility. I shook my head and took off for home.

 

\--

 

            “[Name]!” My sister shouted and burst into my room.

 

            I looked over at her in surprise. I was in the middle of setting up my computer and unpacking all my electronic game systems and titles. My clothes I’d put away almost as soon as we moved in. I didn’t want to dig through boxes for them when I had to get ready for school so early in the morning. The same was true for my shoes, bags, and hair paraphernalia. All that was really left were my decorations and whatever sentimental loads of junk I’d held onto throughout the years. None of it was pressing so I decided to spend my day off from school playing videogames once I finished plugging in, charging, and connecting everything back to the Internet.

 

            “What’s u--”

 

            “I usually don’t give two shits about what you do but you have _got_ to see this. Come on! Before it goes away, dammit!” She marched into the room and practically dragged me across the floor.

 

            Usually I would resist but I was curious to see what had her so riled up that she’d be bothered to share the experience with _me_. She tugged me across the hall and into the loft where our father was fiddling with something behind the TV. It was on and turned to the news channel just because no one really wanted to watch anything at the moment.

 

            “Ugh. They went to commercial but just wait ‘til they come back,” she said and started inspecting her nails. I didn’t miss how she kept her other hand wrapped firmly around my bicep. I sighed and crossed my arms.

 

            “What’s going on?” It wasn’t an Akuma attack was it? I looked around for Duusu but she'd gone back into my room, busy fiddling with my game cases. I rolled my eyes only to hiss when my sister’s nails suddenly dug into my arm.

 

            “Look. It’s back,” she pointed at the screen. I glared at her but looked anyway.

 

            “In other news: we’ve been following rumors that allege Paris’ beloved superheroes, Ladybug and Chat Noir, have added a _third_ crime-fighting lady into their ranks.” The reporter, a shapely woman with short, neat maroon hair and serious eyes, said before showing two pictures. The first was of Chat Noir overshadowed by Ladybug and the second was a rather poor quality still of Paonne Blue. “Her sudden appearance yesterday in the Parc du Champ-de-Mars shocked many Parisians who expected another supervillain attack. Ladybug and Chat Noir showed up in response to the chaos but found nothing amiss and Ladybug reportedly left soon after. Many speculate that this means she is an ally and that we should expect to see more of her in the future. This video, taken by amateur blogger, Alya Césaire who also uncovered Ladybug and Chat Noir when they first appeared, posted this video to her blog.”

 

            I stared at the screen as Alya’s video took over the screen. Too be honest, I’d re-watched the video myself enough times to be quite sick of it by now. It’s been on the _Ladyblog_ since yesterday afternoon. Besides, the memories of the encounter were still more vivid and steady-handed than the video…

 

            “—safe to say that Miss Lady Paonne Blue is a friend and not a foe!” I heard Alya’s voice say, signaling the end of her video.

 

            My sister looked back and forth between me and the TV anxiously but I didn’t respond, “That’s your friend. She goes to our school? In your homeroom clas—oh forget it. I don’t know why I even bothered.”

 

            Disgusted, my sister huffed and pushed me away. I went willingly.

 

            “Me either,” I replied and strode back into my room. As soon as I shut the door though, I grinned at Duusu who responded to my joy with a happy spin. “Well, I’d say that went very well.”

 

            “Told you!” Duusu giggled. I rolled my eyes playfully and settled back into my task.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you were curious: This --> http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/39300000/Chat-Noir-miraculous-ladybug-39337707-268-340.gif <\--is how I imagine Chat Noir looks when he says that line about Plagg liking Camembert...


	7. Library: Read Between the Lions

            My schedule was pretty empty for the day. I had two free periods—one right after homeroom and another after two hours of French. I supposed this would normally be a lifesaver but since I had only been back half a week, no work had accumulated for me to catch up on. I might have slept in if I thought it’d help anything.

            My lineup wasn’t unusual. Several other students were also sent to the library with me while the other half went to Math.

            I was one of the first people to make it there. I wanted to snag the best table.

            When Chloé waltz into the room right behind me, I was a little miffed and made a show of ignoring how she rolled her eyes at me. Thankfully Adrien showed up. I’d learned very early on that she was almost as obsessed with him as Marinette. Consequentially, his presence alone was usually more than enough to distract her from whatever evil she was concocting.

            A flash of black and purple caught my attention and I smiled widely. Juleka’s eyes were naturally drawn to my waving and she smiled softly herself when she realized who was doing it. I leaned back happily in my chair, using the table as an anchor when she came over to sit next to me.

           

            “You’re excited today,” she said quietly as she cradled her bag in her lap.

 

            “It’s a good day.”

 

            “Did something special happen?”

 

            ‘ _Oh sure! Yeah! Let’s see: I caused a bout of mass hysteria two days ago, kitten-napped Chat Noir, and subjected myself to public scrutiny all in the name of redirecting Alya Césaire’s attention away from me in a twisted round of reverse psychology. Wanna know what the best part is? It’s working!*Squee!*_ ’ “Uh, not really.”

 

            “Did you…see something cool?”

 

            ‘ _Oh, my God, yes. Chat Noir’s eyes! You should see them!...And his thighs. Those are pretty great, too._ ’ “Not especially.”

 

            “Have a good dream?”

 

            “Don’t remember if I did.” Yeah, like I would _ever_ speak a word about _that_. 

 

            “Huh.” She was clearly a little confused but accepted my answers willingly. “Well, either way I guess it’s always better to be in a good mood for no reason than a bad one, right?”

 

            “Of course,” I agreed and watched as everyone filed in.

 

            Most were collecting books off the shelves or settling in for simple note-taking. I might have joined in just for the heck of it but I really didn’t want to study for anything if I didn’t have to. Juleka was of the same mindset and had divulged into doodling in the blank spaces of her journal.

            I got distracted watching her bring little people or flowers or monsters to life. She was really good at drawing, always had been.

            Unfortunately, that was not one of my talents.

            I was better at photography—at arranging shapes, colors, and objects in an aesthetically pleasing fashion and then capturing it at its best angle. I knew what looked good and where and how to get the best possible image of that something but to create completely and totally from my mind was a bit beyond my scope. It always amazed me to see other people do just that.

 

            “You draw very well.”

 

            Juleka beamed in that quiet way of hers, “Thank you. I practice a lot more now than I used to.”

 

            “Yeah, no amount of practice makes me draw any better!” I said with a laugh. “I’m passed stick figures but you won’t see any fancy portraits from me.”

 

            “That’s okay. Drawing isn’t just about what you see. It can be about what something represents, too.”

 

            “Yeah. That’s when you start getting into abstract.” That was about as much as I knew about the subject. Drawing _really_ wasn’t my thing…

 

            She nodded with a soft hum, “And surrealism which is especially interesting since--”

           

            “Hey!” Juleka and I both paused at the soft-spoken hail and turned to find our addressee. It was Adrien, to my surprise. I flicked my eyes around him, expecting to see Chloé rounding the corner with him but she was nowhere to be seen. Good.

 

            “Hey. What’s up?” I asked curiously, wondering why he’d be over here of all places. He didn’t answer in the way I’d hoped.

 

            “Nothing really,” he said simply, maintaining that pleasant air about him even as he zeroed in on the empty seat at our table. I looked at him questioningly when he started to unload his arms. They were full of thick volumes. He caught me staring and paused, a small noise getting caught in his throat, “O-Oh, uh, is it okay if I sit here?”

 

            I lifted my shoulder in a shrug though it came out much more choppy than I’d intended. Honestly there was no reason why he couldn’t. He’d sat next to me last time we were scheduled for the same thing. I’d assumed last time it was because seats were filling up and he didn’t like his other options but from what I’d seen so far he was popular with pretty much everyone. He could have sat anywhere in the room with no problems at all. Even now that was the case so why choose here? Maybe he was friends with Juleka?

           I looked to my companion but she had dipped her head and gone back to drawing. Juleka, though she smiled, seem to curl in a little on herself at the blond’s presence. It seemed that she was still very shy despite being able to communicate a lot better. Still, something seemed off so I asked:

 

            “What do you want?”

 

            It came out before I could really think of a more eloquent way of putting it. Oh well.

 

            Adrien, who’d relaxed after claiming his seat, stiffened a little and looked over at me. His expression was as reserved as it usually was though his eyes and body posture screamed of a mix of shock and confusion.

 

            My question had been painfully vague, I knew, so I elaborated, “It’s just you’re so nice. And polite. And you seem like you actually care about such little things. It’s weird.”

 

            His confusion spread from his eyes to his eyebrows, “…Is that not what good friends are supposed to be like?”

 

 _Friends._ It was my turn to be confused. I tipped my head to the side, “That’s what you’re after? You want to be friends?”

 

            “I-Yeah,” his green eyes met mine steadily for only a moment before he turned them away to look down at the wood. “I’ve never been to school before now and this is the first time I’ve ever had any friends and…well, I like it. I’d like to have more.” He lifted his shoulders and looked back up at me. “So, yeah. I’d like to be your friend—for _us_ to _be_ friends—if you want?” He shook his head and scratched his arm.

 

            A part of me wondered just how many of those people were friends because they liked him or were hanging around just because he was a model. He didn't seem like he could distinguish the difference and wasn't that interesti-- _yank!_

 

             “ _What are you waiting for?!_ ” Duusu hissed in my ear as she tugged harshly on my hair. “ _Say ‘yes’ already!_ ”

 

 

            "Fine," I sighed and for Duusu’s sake offered up a smile. It wasn’t hard to fake. In fact I don’t think it was fake at all, “Sure, okay. Friends it is.”

 

            He grinned brightly at me before looking back down at his books, smile still lingering even as he disappeared into his thoughts. My lips pulled up even further in one corner without me knowing it. Really, it shouldn’t be legal for someone to be so endearing. No wonder he was such a successful model. I turned my head away and resumed peeking over Juleka’s shoulder.

 

            Quietly, so as not to disturb her or the blond reading studiously beside us, I asked, “What are those for?”

 

            Her eyes glanced at me and then Adrien unsurely but he seemed not to have heard us. Or maybe he had and was just being respectful. Either way, she hesitantly said, “They’re costume ideas…for Halloween.”

 

            Halloween. A rather touchy subject. I could see why she would refrain from bringing it up around just anybody. Still, I grinned and she smiled, “Oh, that’s right! It _is_ almost October, isn’t it?”

 

            “You always were bad at remembering holidays.”

 

            “I’m bad at dates period. Please, remind me when it’s your birthday because I _will_ forget.”

 

            “I _remember_ ,” she laughed silently. I smirked.

 

            “…May I see?” Adrien asked suddenly. He looked at Juleka with unassuming green eyes and a tiny ghost of a smile. I expected her to say “no” since it took her forever to feel comfortable showing me even one of her doodles but, to my immense astonishment, she smiled a little wider and slid her book over to him. He beamed and examined them, turning each page as if it were as fragile as glass.

            She dipped her head in an attempt to hide under her violet bangs as she awaited the model’s verdict. I hummed to myself, smiling. So maybe she wasn’t over her discomfort and it was just that she liked and trusted Adrien.

 

            “These are really good. Kind of scary but I guess that’s the point of Halloween.”

 

            I rolled my eyes, “Of course it is! Only babies try to be cute for Halloween and only _real_ babies can use that excuse since, y’know, they’re infants.” Inwardly cringing at the comment at the end and desperate to move passed it, I smiled and leaned across the table to keep looking as Adrien started to flip back through Juleka’s sketches. “Have you chosen one yet?”

 

            “…No,” Juleka whispered as Adrien gave her book back. She’d emerged a little from her shell when neither one of us offered negative criticism. “Have you?” She asked both Adrien and I in as eager a tone as she could ever manage. It was adorable!

 

            “Nah. I didn’t even remember it was coming up! I think I might want to do an Enderman, though.”

 

            “From Minecraft?” Adrien raised his eyebrows in surprise.

 

            I quirked a brow of my own, “You play?”

 

            A small part of me would be embarrassed if he said he didn’t but then he perked up in that way of his and said, “‘Course!” He grinned brightly, dropping his usual air of calm in the presence of another gamer.

 

            “Awesome! What’s your tag? Maybe we can play sometimes?” I whipped out my phone and logged into the app I used to keep up with friends when I wasn’t at home on my consol.

 

            “ _UnderAgreste_.”

 

            "..."

 

            My eyebrows rose and a smile pulled high on my cheeks even as my lips formed an “oh’. Juleka’s flushed and she disappeared back under her hair. Adrien’s smile gradually dropped and he looked between us, confused. “What?” (1)

 

            “Nothing. I just…didn’t peg you for the naughty type, that’s all.” His blond brows pulled down in the center and his lips parted in a silent question. I pursed my lips. “You can’t tell me you don’t see the innuendo in this.”

 

            It took a moment but then his face lit up like a Christmas tree. I wanted to laugh so badly at the expression: a unique crossbreed between Shock, Horror, and no small amount of Embarrassment. “I--! No! I-It’s supposed to be a pun!”

 

            I snorted, “Yeah~, no one but you is going to understand that one.”

 

            “You would if you met my father,” he insisted though his face was still burning. I almost felt bad at how much he resembled a wet kitten but really amusement won out.

 

            Still, he’d spiked my mood so I decided to cut him a break and change the subject, “You never said what you’re dressing up as for Halloween.”

 

            “I don’t celebrate Halloween,” he said almost apologetically. I didn’t react. Honestly, it wasn’t like most people really did all things considered but he felt the need to elaborate anyway. “My father’s kind of strict and traditional that way.” (2)

 

            “Would you like to?” Juleka asked hesitantly as if he would be angry at her for even suggesting it.

 

            Adrien only smiled somewhat wistfully, “Sure. I’d like to try a lot of things I’ve never done before.”

 

            “Then why don’t you? You’re a big boy now,” I asked. His smile was tight.

 

            “It’s…complicated.” I had a feeling it was more like he was growing uncomfortable with the subject. I tilted my head dismissively, indicating that I would drop it and instead grinned at Juleka.

 

            “We should go to Euro-Disney!”

 

            Juleka’s eyes widened, “…You mean it?”

 

            I waved my hands through the air as if batting away her concerns, “Hell yeah! I mean, I’d have to ask my parents first but they love Halloween. They’ll probably end up trying to come with us. …So?”

 

            “Well, I’d have to ask mine, too, but…--” and a small, beautiful, pleased smile took hold of her face—“yeah…Yeah, that would be fun.”

 

            “Awesome~! Ha! This day just keeps getting better and better.”

 

            Except for Adrien. For him it seemed to have gotten worse. The poor wet kitty was now drenched. I frowned as I watched him try futilely to immerse himself into his tomes. I glanced at Juleka who had not been blind to Adrien’s shift. She simply lifted her shoulders and sighed sadly. Alright so it was up to me then. Great.

 

            “Uh…Hey. What’s wrong?”

 

            “Nothing,” he said shortly. My eyebrows rose. It wasn’t a rude response just a little clipped. Still, coming from someone like Adrien who seemed largely incapable of such, made his response seem to scream ‘leave me alone’.

 

            It almost made me sneer but I refrained on the off chance that something really was wrong with him. He wasn’t Chloé after all, even if he did spend an unhealthy amount of time with her. That and Juleka was egging me on with her eyes. “You can’t just butt in on a conversation and then get into your feelings and flip everyone off just because you didn’t like where it was going. What’s wrong? What did we—er _I_ —say?” I corrected quickly when Juleka pointedly (though softly) poked me on the wrist.

 

            “Nothing,” he insisted and looked up at me. His green eyes seemed to entrap me much like they had that first time I accidently met them full on. Seriously, it was no wonder Marinette lost her marbles around this guy. He had Edward Cullen-level staring skills. Then again, she had Bella Swan levels of clumsiness so it made sense. “Really. I’m fine.”

 

            I narrowed my eyes at him, fighting against that sudden wave of guilt that started oscillating in my stomach, “…You wanna come with us to Disneyland?” I asked randomly.

 

            Obviously I knew that wasn’t what was bothering him but hey—if he didn’t want to talk about it, he didn’t have to. Still, I could at least give him something else to latch onto—at least an excuse he could use to cover up whatever was really eating at him.

 

            “Thanks.” He smiled gratefully (and a little sadly) and I pretended like it was for inviting him to come along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) In case you missed it: UnderAgreste is a play on "under arrest" since that's how Adrien felt most of the time when he was stuck at home alone under his father's ~~obsessive~~ careful scrutiny. 
> 
> (2) Halloween in France is very controversial. It's opposition is a mixture of a lot of things--tradition, national pride, a dislike of American commercialism and consumer culture, the fact that there's already a holiday for the dead the day after on November 1st, and surely a slew of other reasons that I--as a Non-Frenchman--would surely not understand. Still, it's becoming more popular though especially in big tourist cities so I thought it would be okay to add it in this story since they're in Paris. Hopefully this doesn't offend anyone. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	8. Picture Perfect

            Today was the day I’ve been waiting for all week. Not only because it was Friday which meant tomorrow was Saturday which was a half-day right before no school on Sunday; but also because it was the one day during the week—the one _single_ day _,_ for one _tiny_ hour—that I had Art on my schedule. It was going to be the highlight of my day.

            Or it would if I ever got to it.

            Just my rotten luck that my favorite was the second last class of the day before English.

 

            “Ugh! Come _on_! Can’t that clock move _any_ faster…,” I growled to myself as I stared at the time.

 

            “Whoa there, girl! What’s got you in such a hurry?”

 

            I pouted at Alya. Of course I would deny it later but for now it was literally the only way to describe the expression that came to my face, “I want today to be almost over already…”

 

            “Me, too, but that’s just every day. I get the feeling _you’re_ talking about something special, though.” She raised the eyebrow with the mole and smiled slyly.

 

            “What’s this about something special?” Marinette asked as she turned in her seat with a similar smile.

 

            I rolled my eyes and huffed a laugh, “Oh, my God. You guys are terrible. It’s nothing like that. It’s Art.”

 

            “Art?” They parroted back, bemused.

 

            “Yes, my darlings: Art! My one true reason for even _existing_ on this miserable planet!” I gasped dramatically. They burst into giggles but I was deadly serious. There was a reason I busted my ass to get into that stupid fake art academy. It was my _life_.

 

            “What kind of art?” Marinette asked. She was genuinely curious as far as I could tell but Alya continued to chuckle like it was part of the joke.

 

            “Photography, mostly. But I love videos, too, and just about anything that lets me dabble with composing.”

 

            “Oh, like music?”

 

            “No, not like music,” I almost snapped. Honestly! “There’s composition for visual arts, too, it’s just…more of an element and teaching method principle than an actual developing action though I guess you could use it that way, too, since I do do projects with music, too…But whatever! The point is I love it. _All_ of it~”

 

            “Yeah!” Alya cosigned, her voice trembling with restrained laughter. “We can tell!”

 

            “Really?” I sighed and practically melted across my desk. “I thought I was being subtle...”

 

            They burst into giggles again and I smiled despite myself, “Jesus, girl! You act like Marinette whenever she sees Adri--”

 

            “Alya!” Marinette yelped and whipped her dark head around to stare wide-eyed at her best friend. I smirked. That secret was already out and it wasn’t even Alya’s fault. Her affections were painfully obvious to anybody with working eyes.

 

            “Oh, but it is the same, my dear. It’s love!” I swooned. And maybe I was laying it on a little thick but I was excited and this was a good way to distract myself from how antsy I was getting. I practically leapt from my seat when the bell rang, anxious to make it to the next class so I could make it through that one and the one after that and the one after that and the one after that and pause for lunch and then the one after _that_ until—

 

            “Alright, everyone: in case I don’t see you again today, remember that it’s Picture Day tomorrow--” I only caught the beginning of Miss Bustier’s words. I was already speed-walking down the hall.

 

            “Oof!” Duusu exclaimed from where she was clinging desperately to my (color) strands. “You really need to calm down!”

 

            “Oh, that’s rich coming from you,” I sighed and settled on a random bench lining the huge catwalk. Even then my foot started up an incessant tapping.

 

            “You don’t even know where you’re going.”

 

            “Where _can_ I go? I’ve got independent study again,” I sighed and shifted impatiently.

 

            “ _I_ think you should go out flying.”

 

            I snorted, “You want me to skip school? I thought you were supposed to be like my voice of wisdom or something.”

 

            “I am. But it’s not like you’re learning anything right now anyway.”

 

            “…” I stared blankly ahead for a moment before launching myself to my feet and searching for the nearest bathroom. “I feel like we’ve switched bodies or something. There’s no reason I should be acting like _you_ when a new clothes line drops.”

 

            She huffed, affronted, “We all have things we’re passionate about and it makes us all do strange things.”

 

            I refrained from teasing her with something like ‘you’re strange all the time’. Knowing Duusu, she’d think I was being serious and I didn’t have time for her to be mad at me when I needed her to turn me into Paonne Blue.

            I prayed to God that no one would come in as I lifted myself up to a window and peeked outside. The streets were busy as was to be expected but I was quickly learning that that was a good thing. Busy people meant negligent people which meant they were less likely to be paying attention to the others around them and I was free to duck out without a whole lot of fanfare. Not that I had many yet. Fans that is. Oh well. At least people weren’t screaming anymore.

            In fact, they flipped out their phones and tried to record me.

            I debated on whether or not I should hang around and let them. It wouldn’t hurt anything and they really didn’t have any decent pictures of me floating around yet…I grinned.

            First things first though: I needed a better background. A random street in front of a collège was not going to cut it. It wasn’t hard to find a good spot for photos in Paris. The entire city was gorgeous, it was more a matter of finding the right place.

            Most of the settings I had in mind were absolutely stunning at night. Lights imbedded in the ground threw their colors upon the faces of these majestic buildings and left their viewers breathless. During the day, however, I was working with natural light and most of these monuments were done in plain stone. No pretty light effects.

            Still there was one place that would catch my eye no matter what time of day it was.

            The Musee Du Louvre.

            More specifically, its glass pyramids.

            They were gorgeous towers of sparkling metal veins and glass panels surrounded on three sides by the immense grandeur of the converted royal residence and its own reflecting pools.

            Crowds were inevitable. It was just a matter of how large and thick they were. Considering it was early morning on a weekday in later September, the throngs were fair: not quite overpowering but certainly not as quiet as they’d get in the winter months. Still, tourist season was largely over. Schools were back in session and parents had work to get back to no matter where they were from in Paris or Europe or even the rest of the world. One could expect sudden bursts of activity during the short breaks throughout the year or on weekends or special days of free admission but otherwise, the clamor was starting to mellow out. 

            When I arrived I made a spiraling descent around the Pyramid just for the heck of it. I swept over the pools of water and curled out of the way of the spewing fountains to land at the back of the tall prism.

            The people there gasped and leapt away from me when they noticed me. I smiled at them as they caught my eye but largely ignored them for a time. There was no way one could visit this place and not just _stare_ for a while. The weight of the age and historical value of this place hit solidly and it left me feeling pleasantly small. Eventually though the flashing cameras started to turn in my direction. They were trying to be subtle about it, still a little unsure of my temperament and possible reaction.

            I smirked and half-turned directly into someone’s photo. Their hands jerked a little, nervous at the sudden movement but unwilling to forsake their shot. After they’d taken it, they lowered their hands to examine it. I used their momentary lapse in attention to make my way over, being sure to smile brightly as I held out my hand.

 

            “May I see?” The civilian, a male with hooded slate-grey eyes and short, silky, dark chocolate hair, looked up at me. I tilted my head, letting my curls slide over my shoulders and curling my fingers a little. He held out his phone, watching me warily as I pursed my lips.

 

            After a moment I shook my head, “Nah, that’s no good. The symmetry is off. Here, try again.” I said, handing back his phone and moving away to pose.

 

            I stood a bit further to my left, turned my back to him, and held my arms out straight to my sides. I tipped my head back and made a face. I held this position for a while—long enough for people to take notice of my odd behavior (if they hadn’t already noticed my glitzy blue, black, and white suit) and start snapping pictures of their own. I dropped my arms and trotted back over to the man.

            This time he angled his phone for me to see without me having to ask.

            I looked at the picture and a smile lit up my face. I nodded.

 

            “Much better. See? How the top of the pyramid, the point, lines up with where my body would be split perfectly in half? And it’s great ‘cuz I’m in shadow so it makes it look like the glass is shining.” Added bonus: my pose and distance made it look like I was carrying the pyramid in my arms. I smirked at his smile and turned away.

 

            Just as I did another person came up around his side. He had the same droopy grey eyes and hair only his was blue instead of brown. I grinned and cocked a hip, “Nice hair.”

 

            He grinned back and a hopeful gleam came to his dark face, “Are you Paonne Blue?”

 

            “Of course! Who else would look as good as me in this getup?” I lifted my arms and cradled an elbow in each palm.

 

            “Can I get a picture?” He lifted his own phone in askance.

 

            “Oh, sure! You want the same pose or something different?”

 

            He flicked his eyes to his companion briefly and smiled wryly, “We’re twins. I think we share enough with each other.”

 

            I laughed and bobbed my head, “Fair enough. Here, let’s go to the fountain.”

 

            He followed me closely as I moved towards the water. He stopped at the edge but I simply lifted into the air and continued on until I was hovering just above the spitting geysers. Mindful of the torrents, I lied back and stretched my body out above and along their crest and closed my eyes. If he took it right, it would look like I was lying on a bed of shooting water, the sides of the glass pyramid framing me in the background. After a few seconds, I righted myself and started to make my way back towards him…only someone shouted “wait” and hurried to snap a picture of their own. I struck another pose and another:

 

            Appearing to stand on top of the water as I reached dramatically to the sky like one of Michelangelo’s angels.

            Sitting on top of the spray and waving.

            Lying at its base and pursing my lips as if I were the one creating the showers.

            A random shot of someone running in and posing with me just as I was moving to sit up.

            Me with that same stranger as we laughed at each other...

            And those were just the ones I purposefully posed for. I couldn’t be sure what kind and how many other photos were taken of me as the people shuffled by.

            Eventually, just taking pictures wasn’t enough and instead of approaching me for poses, they came with questions. I answered them as I heard them, trying to be mindful of my answers lest I slip and reveal a secret. The ones I wasn’t sure how to answer, I deflected.

 

 

            “How old are you?”

 

            “Wow! Haven’t you heard you’re not supposed to ask a lady about her age? Don’t worry: I forgive you.”

 

            “Do you live in Paris?”

 

            “Yup.”

 

            “Where?”

 

            I gave them a look, “Really?”

 

            “Are you human or…?”

 

            I laughed, “Yes! I’m human! Completely human. Just sometimes I get to use magic, that’s all.”

 

            They started unconsciously crowding me. It was fine for a time but then the circle got too small. I lifted increasing up out of their reach in response.

 

            “Where are your parents?”

 

            I shrugged, “Wherever they want to be, I imagine.”

 

            “Are they superheroes, too?”

 

            “Uh…not to my knowledge, no.”

 

 

            “What’s Ladybug like?”

 

            “…Ha...yeah,” I laughed and left it at that. I couldn’t be sure if someone was recording and if she ever found the video and saw me bad-mouthing her I doubted this whole working together thing would ever happen.

 

            “Do you stay as Paonne Blue all the time or do you have a normal life somewhere else?”

 

            “I don’t actually!” I said brightly, purposefully not specifying which question I was referring to.

 

            I could see the anxiety building as more and more people struggled to see me only to realize the people in front were blocking the way. I didn’t need anyone getting angry for no reason especially not when there were so many people crowded so closely together. Anything could trigger that one volatile asshole and mob mentality would surely turn this whole thing into a huge mess. Time to shut this down and move on.

 

            “Actually, would you happen to have the time? I might be late for something if I’m not careful,” I asked the last person who’d addressed me.

 

            “Uh,” she looked down at her watch before looking back up at me. “8:58.”

 

            My eyebrows twitched under my mask though I kept the smile up, “Ooh, yeah. It’s time for me to fly.” I pushed up a little higher into the air and waved down at the people as I picked up speed. “Bye, everyone! You’ll see me later. Enjoy the Louvre!”

 

            With that I made a mad dash back towards Dupont. It was just across the Seine; not too far, but when I only had two minutes to get to my next class, also not close enough. I didn’t have time to find a sneaky entrance and so instead landed on the roof, reversed the transformation, and made a mad dash to find a way from the roof.

 

            I balked when I found that the only way down on this side was locked, “Oh, fu--”

 

            “Here! Let me!” Duusu sang and phased through the metal as if it didn’t exist. I heard a loud, forbidding click before the door swung open slowly. “Tada!”

 

            “Thanks! You’re amazing, Duusu, now come on!” I breathed as I darted through the door, climbed down a ladder, a set of stairs and a few more until I reached the main level of the school. I scrambled to get to class. Technically there was to be no running in the halls but no one was there to see so I got away with it.

            I had German with Mr. Gobeil and while he was cool, I didn’t want to get on his bad side.

 

            “Entschuldigen Sie, bitte!” I gasped as I burst through the door. I glanced up at the clock. So did everyone else. Two minutes late. Meh, I could live with that.

 

            Mr. Gobeil smirked and asked, “Das Bad?”

 

            “Uh…Ja klar!” I said and hurried to find a seat. Nino leaned forward and pointed at the space next to him. I rushed to claim it.

 

            “Danke,” I whispered.

 

            He grinned lopsidedly, “Bitte.”

 

\--

 

            It was easier to forget about the time when I had work to focus on. After German I moved on with a couple others to History. It was hard to get into it with my mind still trying to process everything in German. Thankfully I had another free period after Ms. Autry’s so I could reread the chapters she was teaching from…

 

            The bell rang and I blinked up blearily from the books I was reading at the Library. Alya grinned as she passed and slapped her palm against the table, “Lunch time.”

 

            “..Right,” I sighed and stood with a groan before gathering up my things. The other girl waited patiently while I did so. I blinked at her, “Uh…What’s up?”

 

            “Nothing. Just wondering if you wanted to come eat with us. We’re going to Marinette’s.”

 

            “Who’s we?” I asked as I dropped the book off in a return slot and pushed open the heavy wooden doors with the class deputy.

 

            “Just me and Marinette.” She tilted her head to the side and glanced at me knowingly. “And Adrien if she can work up the nerves to ask him.”

 

            I smirked but decided to answer her question rather than go on about Marinette’s woes, “Yeah, sure. I’ll come.” I usually bought something from the school to eat since I lived too far away to bother hopping a train just for lunch. It’d be nice to get something a little different.

 

            “Awesome. Let me just drop this stuff off at my locker and we can go.”

 

            I nodded and followed along after her. I’d never been to Marinette’s house before. Sure, just about everyone who went to Dupont had stopped in their store but she was never usually the type to invite people over. I almost wondered if I’d be intruding.

            Marinette smiled at us from where she was waiting in the entrance hall. Without further preamble, she turned and started leading us out and across the street. Alya looked around though she was not surprised at what she saw—or rather the lack thereof.

 

            “Where’s Adrien?”

 

            At the mention of his name, Marinette adopted a dopey, sheepish grin that spoke volumes to how well that conversation went. Alya still wanted to hear the words though and raised her eyebrows questioningly, “Well?”

 

            “…I sort of…followed him into the boy’s bathroom…,” she murmured haltingly, flicking her eyes to me nervously as a heavy blush settled over her face.

 

            I wanted to burst out laughing-- doubled over, knee-slapping, the whole shebang--but she just looked so pitiful that I had to stop myself. I jerked my head sharply to the side and buried my sudden snort into my shoulder. The Chinese girl wasn’t fooled if the dejected look on her face was any indication.

 

           “…Bless you,” she murmured sarcastically and slumped her shoulders. Alya shook her head at me and I raised my shoulders defensively.

 

            “It’s okay, Marinette. You’ll get it right next time,” the black girl said as she rubbed her best friend’s shoulder blades.

 

            “Just pretend like you were dirt tired and your stomach was distracting you, too, so you weren’t watching where you were going,” I added.

 

            “That’s still embarrassing,” Marinette pointed out as she opened the door to her parents’ bakery and let us in.

 

            “Well, it’s better than letting everyone think you’re a pervert or worse, so obsessed with a guy that you go stupid in the head.”

 

            “Wow. You really don’t cut corners, do you?” Alya asked me, torn between being astonished and irritated. I huffed and crossed my arms but Marinette waved both of us away.

 

            “No, no, she’s right, Alya. It’s just that he’s so--!”

 

            I rolled my eyes and stepped away from them to peruse the menu and items on display. My stomach grumbled and I wrinkled my lips excitedly. I could hear Duusu start bellyaching next to my ear.

 

            “Hi, there! What would you like?” A short, pale Chinese woman with short hair the same color as Marinette’s and warm grey eyes said with a smile.

 

            I smiled back and started to speak but Marinette interjected, “Oh, no, Mom: she’s here to have lunch with Alya and me.”

 

            “Oh!” She said and seemed to look me over in a new light. “By your text I thought you were bringing over that boy you always talk about.”

 

            “N-No, I, uh, he, um, he’s--”

 

            “Already got plans so I asked [Name] to come instead. Hope that’s okay,” Alya finished to spare her friend any further embarrassment.

 

            “Oh, it’s fine.” She said and smiled pleasantly at us. “It’s actually a good thing you did. Otherwise there would have been a bit too much food for just the two of you. Go on up, girls. It’s already on the counter waiting for you.”

 

            “Sweet. Thanks, Mom!” Marinette chirped and beckoned us to follow her through the back of the store.

 

            “You’re welcome, sweetie.”

 

            “Thanks, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng,” Alya grinned as she followed behind her bestie.

 

            I nodded to mimic Alya’s words and added, “Nice meeting you.”

 

            Out through the very back of the store was a flight of stairs. At the top was a short all blue hall that wrapped around to another set of stairs though my eyes were drawn to the door off to the side.

 

            “What’s that for?”

 

            Marinette glanced over briefly at my question, “Oh, that’s the regular entrance. We use it when the shop is closed or the front is really busy and hard to go through. Our house is up those stairs.”

 

            She lead us up and opened the door. It was a small space with lots windows and lots of furniture and yet it didn’t feel cluttered. Immediately in front of us was a pale pink couch that signaled all the space in front of it was the living room. Immediately to the right was another flight of stairs while to the right was a large bookcase full of hardcovers and (to a lesser extent) paperbacks.

            Marinette and Alya moved further into the room. Passed the stairs and around the couch…there was the kitchen: a tiny thing nestled directly under the stairs. On the kitchen table set perpendicular to the counters were the plates of food Marinette’s mom had made. I lingered a little behind the other girls and cracked open my bag, “Get in, Duusu.” I whispered.

 

            “What?!” She yelped outraged. I hissed at her to be quiet.

 

            “Come on. I can’t very well feed food to my _hair_ , can I? _Get in the bag--_ ”

 

            “[Name]?”

 

            “I’m coming. I’m just checking to make sure I have everything, didn’t leave anything in the library.” I lied as Duusu grumbled but reluctantly drifted into her pocket.

 

            “Well, we’re right across the street if you did. We could always--”

 

            “Nope. Nevermind. It’s there. Ooh, those look good. Thanks!” I said as I made my way over to the table and stood at its shorter side. Marinette had snagged the stool while Alya had jumped up to sit on its other end. I reached out for a curry chicken crêpe and leaned over to eat with my elbows on the table. They spared me an odd glance but delved into conversation soon after.

 

             I used their divided attention to subtly drop the crêpe into my bag, trying not to think too hard about what kind of mess there’d be afterwards. Or maybe there wouldn’t be one. Duusu was pretty fastidious after all. One could only hope. Satisfied, I adopted a more appropriate eating position and took another for myself.

 

            “So, Marinette,” I said, interrupting whatever they were talking about (probably Mr. Agreste most likely). “Is your mom’s last name Dupain-Cheng or just Cheng?”

 

            “Technically it’s just Cheng.” She said and Alya balked. Marinette smiled at her and shook her head reassuringly. “She doesn’t mind that people call her Dupain-Cheng. She knows it’s only natural for people to assume her last name is the same as mine.”

 

            “I figured I’d ask. I mean, before it didn’t matter since I never met your parents but now…” I trailed off with a shrug.

 

            “Well you haven’t met my dad yet but you’ll see him on Career Day.”

 

            “Career Day?”

 

            “Yeah. It’s this Tuesday. I’m bringing my mom. She’s the head chef at Le Grand Paris hotel,” Alya said. She turned back to Marinette. “So you’re bringing your dad, huh? Where is he anyway?”

 

            “I don’t know. I’ve been in school all day. But he’s probably out delivering an order.”

 

            “You guys deliver?”

 

            “Sometimes. If a customer really needs us to. Like if they’re old but they’re a regular customer or something like that,” she explained.

 

            “What about you, [Name]? Who are you bringing?”

 

            “To be honest I haven’t thought about it. I didn’t even know Career Day was coming up.” I tilted my head and considered my options. Not that it really mattered in the long run. “I’ll probably just bring whichever parent my sister doesn’t snag first.”

 

            “Ha, I know what you mean.” I quirked a brow. “I’ve got two little sisters.”

 

            I grinned despite myself, “Aww. Are they cute?”

 

            “Adorable,” Alya deadpanned with an affectionate roll of her eyes. “They’re twins.”

 

             “Wow. Double trouble,” I smirked. She made a face at me and I chuckled.

 

             “Sometimes I wish I had younger siblings,” Marinette said longingly.

 

              Alya scoffed, “Yeah, I used to, too, until they actually came along.”

 

            I shrugged, “I don’t know. My sister’s a beast but even then I couldn’t imagine not having her around. It’d be hella lonely at home without her.”

 

             Alya hummed thoughtfully for a moment before a small smile grew on her face, “Yeah…I guess you’re right. I mean they _can_ be a lot of fun. Is that why you want so many kids, Marinette?” She asked her best friend who’d risen to get us all a drink.

 

            “Three’s not a lot,” she said defensively. “…Is it?”

 

            Alya shook her head while I hummed pensively, “Mmm…I think it’s in the middle. Like depending on your lifestyle three can be too many but for some people five or six is the limit. Personally, I want at least two but no more than four.”

 

            “What if you get triplets?” Alya asked mischievously.

 

            I tossed my head to the side, “Oh! Well then we lucked out and there won’t be anymore. Can you imagine squeezing out that many at once?”

 

            Alya leaned forward and said almost conspiratorially, “My mom says that when she had my baby sisters it was the worst pain she’d ever felt.”

 

            “Same here,” Marinette chimed in. “My mom says that’s the main reason why she doesn’t plan on having any more.”

 

            I grinned cheekily, “My mom says I was an unplanned gift.”

 

            “And your sister?”

 

            “‘Unexpected but pleasant surprise.’”

 

            Alya laughed, “I think the ‘un’-s in the wrong place there.”

 

            I huffed a laugh into my milk, “Ya think?”

 

            “Are your parents planning on having anymore?”

 

            “Please. I’d be surprised if they planned on lasting another two years.”

 

            They frowned, “What do you mean?”

 

            “Nothing just…I think they’re getting ready to divorce. I think the only thing keeping them together is me and my sister. The fact that they don’t want us to go through that, y’know?”

 

            Alya nodded, “I hear it’s hard on the kids. My parents are still together but I know a couple people whose parents aren’t.”

 

            “Mine have been together almost 20 years…,” Marinette murmured almost guiltily. I quirked a disbelieving eyebrow at her and smiled.

 

            “Hey, don’t feel bad. That’s great, y’know? Not everyone can do that. It’s a lot of work. People fall in love with the idea of the person—the way they look, dress, what they’re good at, how much stuff they have…they don’t spend a whole lot of time looking at all the stuff that really makes up who they are. The things they like, what they dream about, what their goals are, or how they see the world. Some people ignore all of that when they get married because they’ve fallen in love with the wrong part of a person. They don’t learn them enough to find out the things they might not like and all the things that are different about them and how people might change over time. I think my parents did that and now they don’t know or even _want_ to work it out because…I don’t know. Maybe they’re too different? Or maybe they’re just changing or…something…” I shook my head to clear my thoughts. “But no! Yeah! That’s really good for your mom and dad! That’s so awesome that they’re so good for each other.”

 

            “...I hope we can be like that, too…,” Marinette practically drooled a minute later. Alya and I both rolled our eyes, shook our heads, and went back to stuffing our faces.

 

            “So! Whatcha got after lunch?”

 

            “Italian,” I said as I picked up my bag and slung it over my shoulder. Marinette held her hands out for our plates and deposited them into the sink.

 

            “Wait…Don’t you also take English?”

 

            “Yup.”

 

            “And German.”

 

            “Ja.”

 

            “Dang! Why so many languages, girl?”

 

            “Because I want to be a translator when I grow up.”

 

            “I thought art was your sole reason for being alive?” Marinette said as she rejoined us and led us from her home.

 

            “It is. But it’s also a really hard field to get a job in. I mean just look at how many talented artists that exist in just this city alone. I need to have a backup plan. And a backup plan for the next three backup plans.”

 

            “Wow, I…I never thought of it that way before…,” Marinette murmured. Her face fell as stress started to build in her shoulders.

 

            “Oh, no. Don’t even go there, missy. You’re amazing and you’re going to be the best fashion designer since Gabriel Agreste,” Alya declared firmly. Marinette popped up bright as a daisy at the encouragement.

 

            I blinked in surprise and stared at the back of Marinette’s head as we descended the steps, “You want to design clothes?”

 

            She nodded and laughed when Alya tossed her arm over her shoulder, “Yeah, and she’s really good! You should see some of her sketches.”

 

            “I’d love to,” I smiled.

 

            Marinette grinned and started walking backwards in front of us. Alya’s shoulders hiked in response, most likely worried about her best friend’s clumsiness but it didn’t seem to be affecting her now, “Okay but only if you let me see some of your own pieces.”

 

            I laughed, “It’s a deal.”

 

\--

 

            Italian was hard. Not the language but staying focused. The nervous energy I got rid of early in the day was back full-force and I struggled to keep it together. I tried to tell myself that it was only a couple minutes away but each time I looked at the clock, nothing seemed to change. It was infuriating.

            When the bell finally did ring, I barely waited for my teacher to dismiss us before rushing out the door.

            I was usually one of the first people in class but this time I managed to get there even before the previous one cleared out. It was taking them some time to clean up and I tried to be patient but in the end I just went in early. I couldn’t help it. I was excited!

 

            “Mr. Robichaux!” I called out as I made my way further into the room. It was slightly larger than the others with nine work tables spread about the open space and computers lining every wall that wasn’t chock-full of paint, papers, canvases, markers, pencils, charcoal, plaster, cardboard, tapes, glues, containers, brushes, pastels, inks, clays, carving tools, stencils, I could go on and on and _on_.

 

            Mr. Robichaux turned leisurely at the sound of his name, assuming that it was one of his students. He was right of course, except I wasn’t exactly the student he was expecting. His brown eyes settled on me, neutral at first until recognition dawned in their depths and a wide smile broke out on his sun-tanned face, “Little Miss [Name]! You’re back!"

 

             "You’re _back_.” He repeated and his smile turned apologetic the second time around.

 

            “Awww, Mr. Robichaux,” I sucked my teeth exasperatedly but he wouldn’t let it go.

 

            He dropped a hand on my shoulder briefly and stared deeply into my own (color) eyes, “I am so sorry, my dear.”

 

            “It’s alright. You didn’t know. No one did.”

 

            “I know and yet I still feel like some part of me should have, you know? What do they always say? ‘If it looks like it’s too good to be true…’”

 

            “Well, yeah, but it was a good scam, Mr. Robichaux. That’s the thing. Like we would go to school and see half the school closed off because of construction or some of the bathrooms not work because they were still laying down pipes and some ceilings were still just metal bars draped across the hallways…and so when you see stuff like that, you assume that you’re really literally seeing them build the school with the money you’re giving, y’know? And you don’t think about it because the bits of the school that’s already done are amazing and you really _are_ learning a couple things but…Yeah. It was hard to believe that they were just collecting our money when you saw construction workers digging in the fields or blocking off hallways because there literally wasn’t anywhere else to step if you went any further. This one girl—she was an idiot—she decided that she wanted to see what was on the other side of a taped off hallway on the second floor and--”

 

           “Oh, gracious! Did she die?”

 

            “No, no, but it was close. She could have if our teacher hadn’t scared her away. There was literally nothing in front of her. But like you couldn’t tell because it had like this thick plastic tarp thing they drape over it so that the weather outside doesn’t damage anything--”

 

            “That’s a…rather perilous environment to try and send students to school into.”

 

            “Well, they obviously weren’t thinking very hard about us, all things considered.”

 

            He gave a short wry laugh and nodded his head in agreement, “You’re right there. Will you be joining the art club?”

 

            “I’m thinking I’m going to have to! I’ve only got art on my schedule for one hour a week.”

 

            Mr. Robichaux frowned, “Why so little?”

 

            “My parents think I should focus on something else for a while. Pursue a real line of education and give my mind time to process what’s happened.”

 

            “They make it seem like you’re traumatized,” he remarked with furrowed brows. Then he cut his eyes sideways as if to ask “well, are you?” and I laughed. He grinned. “You know, if you’re looking for extra time in the art room, you could also join the students who work on the school blog or the yearbook. I’ve even got a little theatre arts group that likes to put on shows. I’m sure they’d love to have someone working with them behind a camera to tell them what looks right.”

 

            “That would be amazing~” I sighed wistfully and pressed my hands to my cheeks. He chuckled and tapped my shoulder again to encourage me to find a seat.

 

            “It’s good to have you back. I was a bit lonely without you around. Oh! And I think there was one more thing that might have missed your creative touch.”

 

            “…Is it what I think it is?” He squinted his eyes playfully and moved to the back of his desk. I started to follow him as he reached into a large box on one of his many shelves. His hands came away cradling a Nikon D5600 DSLR camera. I practically squealed and bounced up and down on my heels. “Oh! It is! Gimme, gimme!”

 

            He laughed and passed it over. I grinned widely at the familiar weight, turning it this way and that just to reacquaint myself with it, “Oh, I missed this thing so much…This was my baby, y’know?”

 

             He snorted and crossed his arms over his wide chest, “Yes. You carried it around just about everywhere. Principal Damocles added a couple stipulations for those of you fortunate enough to borrow those but it’s nothing we didn’t already establish between the two of us--”

 

            “Don’t break it. To ensure that you’re not the one who damaged it, report anything that feels wrong from the instant you receive it to your lender. If something does happen to go wrong but you know it’s not your fault bring it to your lender and see if the problem was caused my improper handling or a result of general use. Do not let _anyone_ touch, hold, look at, breathe--”

 

            Mr. Robichaux rolled his eyes, “[Name]--”

 

           “—or even _think_ too closely to this bad boy even if they claim to have gotten your permission. Do not take it home without permission. Always carry it securely in its protective case when not in use. Do not take any inappropriate photos with the camera. Make sure--”

 

            “Yeah. I think you’ve remembered everything,” he interjected amusedly.

 

            “Ooh! I’m excited!”

 

            “Just remember that this is --”

 

            “— not a game and that all students who borrow a camera can be asked to take pictures of events by members of the student newspaper, the schoolboard, class representatives, teachers, and other students for academic or extracurricular purposes--”

 

            “ _Alright_. Go on and find a seat, Miss [Name].” I smirked and pranced away with my reclaimed treasure and plopped into a seat.

 

            “Aww hey! Sweet camera! I want one! Hey, Mr. Robichaux, when can I--?”

 

            “When you take a genuine interest in art beyond that which is strictly required to attend collège, Mr. Kim, now take a seat! Come on, young ones, we’ve got a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to work _with_ so let’s go~”

 

            Mylène chuckled as she took her seat next to me. She smiled and I grinned, “Look at this!”

 

            Her golden eyes crossed as she took in what I held up in front of her face, “I…see you got your camera back! Congratulations!”

 

            “Eeee! I know! I’m so excited~!”

 

            “I can tell!”

 

            “Listen up, class! Today we’re going to recap on our line drawings and then move on to cutting and pasting. More accurately, we’re going to delve into what it means to choose images and shapes and colors to express a specific idea.”

 

            “I bet you already know what you’re going to do, don’t you?” Mylène asked as she pointed at my camera.

 

            “Well, certainly I’ll be using this to do it but I don’t know what exactly it is that I’ll do. Yet.”

 

            She smiled and crossed her arms over our work table, “I might have an idea for you if you’re willing to partner up?”

 

            “Depends what you have in mind,” I replied back in the same abstract, mischievous way she’d proposed her question. We both broke out into smirks that delved into soft laughter. I set my camera on the table and leaned over it with one elbow holding up my neck. “But seriously: what’s your idea?”

 

            “Why don’t we tell a story?”

 

            “A story?” I parroted. “But how would that work? Wouldn’t that be too confusing in a collage?”

 

           “That’s if he’s even talking about a collage and even if he is, you could always make it read one way to another. Like a picture book where all the pictures are on the same page just done up in rows instead.”

 

           “Huh.” I said and pursed my lips. It was certainly an interesting concept. “I assume you've got a story in mind to go with it?" 

 

            A faint barely noticeable blush dusted her cheeks, "Well not yet but I kinda wanted to do something with my dad since he mimes, he's pretty good at telling stories with just motions so--"

 

            "You want to make a motion picture book only it's laid flat out like a collage instead." Then it suddenly clicked in my mind and my eyes widened. "Wait. You want me to take pictures of the two of you? You _and_ you're dad?" 

 

           "Yeah!" Then she tipped her head to the side thoughtfully when she saw my troubled expression. "Do you think that'll work?"

 

            "It's not that. It's just when you said 'with your dad' I thought you meant you were going to channel his miming not that you'd do something together. If we actually want your dad to be in these pictures with you then that means a lot of afterschool work and I'm not sure I'll have enough time to--"

 

            "Oh, no! It's okay! It doesn't have to be long," she interjected. It was almost a plea. "I'll even figure out what the plot is if that'll help."

 

           I wrinkled my nose. Letting people do work for me was never something I was comfortable with especially if I was going to have to put my name on it. Some liked to believe it had to do with morals. Perfectionism was a bit closer to the truth, "...I don't know..."

 

            "Please?" I pursed my lips.

 

            I was torn. This behest was likely the last knowing Mylène with her weak resolve. She'd never force an issue. She was too easily intimidated and preferred not to cause friction if it would make others cross with her. I didn't want to say no because it seemed like she really wanted to do this. It struck me as something personal--like some big heartfelt project she just wanted my help with instead of an equal partnership between classmates; sort of like when someone wants to give a gift but sucks at gift-wrapping so they ask you to do it for them. I didn't know if I should ask what it was. She was never very open with the private parts of her life. Still, I wanted to know just how much I was getting into so I asked even though I could already feel myself giving in.

 

             "What exactly is this for? And don't tell me art class because I'm not an idiot."

 

            A sheer curtain of sadness obscured her face and she sighed heavily, large shoulders drooping. And yet she, as if unaware that she'd already displayed her sorrow, puffed up her pudgy cheeks and shot me a sharp look, "I'm only telling because it's you."

 

            "And I only care because it's you," I said by way of encouragement.

 

            She sighed again and dropped her façade. She turned her amber eyes away and spoke haltingly, "It's just...my dad's been having some trouble landing roles and...he's getting a little sad about it. I keep trying to tell him how amazing he is but he doesn't believe me so I...I wanted to give him something special to remember how great he is at miming and to help him to keep on trying..."

 

            "Awww~" I cooed and laced my fingers together under my chin. Seriously, I must be developing a weakness or something. That or today was just a really good day and I was in a _really_ good mood. "That's so nice!"

 

            "So you'll help?" She leaned forward excitedly.

 

            "Wait. You're dad's seriously thinking of quitting miming?"

 

            "[Name]...," she almost whined exasperatedly.

 

            "Okay, okay, fine." 

 

            "Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She launched herself forward and caught me in a great hug. My gasp delved immediately into giggles as I hugged her back.

 

            "Ladies. Miss [Name]. Miss Mylène. What are we doing? I don't see any work going on here."

 

            I took that moment to look around. While we were busy brainstorming, all the other kids around us had gotten up to start collecting supplies. Two girls huddled together in the midst of swarming chaos no matter how controlled was bound to draw attention. Eventually Mr. Robichaux had come away from his desk where he was going over the line drawings his students turned in to address our apparent slacking off. I smiled at him and he quirked an eyebrow curiously at the artistic fire in my eyes, "It's coming along, Mr. Robichaux. Don't worry."

 

            "Oh, I'm not worried. I'm just being nosy. What have you two got simmering on the back boilers, hmm?" He asked as he leaned against the table. I looked expectantly at Mylène who gladly took over the reins of explaining. Naturally she left out the real reason for her burning desire to work with me but it was whatever.

 

            Art flew by as quickly as I knew it would. Mr. Robichaux gave the signal to start cleaning up and only a couple minutes later, the bell rang. It was incredibly disheartening considering I waited all week for this measly hour. I'd definitely have to take on some extra-curricular activities. This just wasn't going to cut it.

            Mylène and I parted ways. She was going to Biology while I was scheduled for English. She promised to text me after she talked to her father. I doubted he'd say anything besides yes. It was hard to say no to Mylène.

 

            I didn't get very far before I ran into Juleka.

 

            "Hey!" I grinned when I popped up on one side and poked her ribs. She gasped and twisted away. I laughed and she almost grinned but couldn't bring herself to do it. I frowned. "What's wrong?"

 

            Before Juleka could even think about answering, another voice called out to us. It was Adrien.

 

            "It looks like we’re all going the same way. English, right?” He asked and fell into step with the two of us. 

           

             I hadn't really talked to him since that day at the library. He seemed to have gotten over it but _I_ still remembered that heavy, oppressive aura about him. I half-expected him to do something petty like blame me for his bad mood or ignore me until I apologized or something equally snobby but the next day he was back to normal. I might have been concerned if I wasn't so admittedly relieved. I mean, who loses a friend 10 seconds after they make one? I couldn't possibly have a new record _that_ short.

 

           

            “Yup,” I chirped for both Juleka and I. She had retreated a little within herself. When she noticed my staring she lifted her head and forced her face to smile softly.

           

            “I hear there’s a test today…” She offered quietly.

 

            “Do you think he’ll make you take it?” Adrien asked me. The fact that he seemed genuinely interested in the answer still struck me as odd. I wasn't used to it--not from insanely beautiful male models anyway. I didn't help that I typically associated beauty with being an asshole. It was kind of inevitable after dealing with so many people like Chloé or my sister. It didn’t matter how much I told myself he was just being polite either because something _else_ (namely Duusu but she wasn’t entirely to blame) kept insisting that maybe it was just in his nature to be kind. Still, time was a great conqueror. I'd know soon enough.

 

            I shrugged in answer to his question, “He might. It’ll probably give him a good idea of where I’m at though I doubt it’ll matter much in the long run.”

 

            “Why’s that?”

 

            I didn’t really have an answer prepared for that question so it took me a moment to voice what was floating vaguely through my head, “Probably because there’s breaks in our schedules for study hall and independent study and after school study sessions and stuff like that. Mr. Gobeil will probably expect me to catch up on my own even if I am falling a little behind.”

 

            “I could help you study if you want,” Juleka interjected. “I-I mean, I’m not very good at it…but Rose helps me out a lot…I don’t think she’d mind if we asked for her help…”

 

            I quirked a wry smile. My first instinct was to point out that I’d used the word “if” in my sentence but this was Juleka. She was too sweet for me to treat like everyone else. Plus she seemed to be in a bad mood so instead I said, “Thanks. I’ll let you know if it ever comes to that.” I made a point to remember that her friend’s name was Rose. It constantly slipped my mind for some reason despite how easy it was.

 

            Mr. Gobeil was waiting by the door when we came in. He greeted us all in English and we responded back in kind before choosing seats. Naturally I sat next to Juleka but I didn’t expect Adrien to sit next to me. Still, I brushed it off and turned to Juleka who'd only continued to shrink in on herself under the weight of her thoughts. I resisted the urge to sigh. It seemed like everyone was having a problem of some sort these last couple days. Just my luck that I happened to careen into their orbits.

 

           Just asking Juleka what was wrong rarely worked (unless on the off-chance, of course, nothing really _was_ wrong in which case she would be in a good mood and very willing to talk about what was going _right_...). I'd have to poke and prod at her known triggers to get her to tell me and there was always the possibility that it was none of those and she was just having a moment. Still, there was no point in overthinking it because Juleka was, no matter how sweet, a teenager and no teenager wanted to sit through another person going on about how great their life is when their own sucked balls.

 

           "Juleka! Look what I got from the Art teacher!" I said excitedly and unzipped my bag. I could see her debate about whether or not she was actually going to indulge me. In the end though her crimson eyes slid over and she took in my camera, nestled in a thick padded carrying case. "Unfortunately I don't have any special lenses to attach to it but it's still--Juleka?"

 

            I cut myself off when I saw a flash of pain cross her pale face just before she turned away. Honestly, I hadn't expected to hit the barrier of annoyance quite that fast. Something was definitely up. Before I could speak though, Juleka glanced at me apologetically and said, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to ruin your fun. It's just...Picture Day is tomorrow..."

 

            I winced and internally kicked myself. I _had_ heard something like that today and like an insensitive prat, I'd forgotten all about Juleka's running curse. My face contorted into something described as sympathetic horror. I had no idea what to say either besides, "Aww...I'm sorry..."

 

            "It’s fine. It's not your fault."

 

            "Well, no, but still..." I pursed my lips and sighed. This was one of those problems I didn't know how to deal with. It was a reoccurring one with Juleka that even I, with my skill at taking photos, couldn't solve. There was just no way to get a perfect picture of Juleka. She was like the extreme version of camera shy and the ironic part was that she didn't even really want to be; Lady Luck had decided that for her. I didn't have enough time to dwell on the situation though because the bell rang.

 

            “Alright, class!” Mr. Gobeil said as he firmly clapped his hands together three times. “We’re starting. Take your seats.”

 

            “Good luck,” Adrien whispered to Juleka and I when the tests were finished being passed around. I sighed and brought my pencil to the paper. What would be would be.

 

            I succeeded in pushing aside all external stimuli until the test was over. It'd taken me longer than it usually would if I'd felt comfortable with the material but I didn't waste time stressing over the questions. I was more concerned with Juleka. She disappeared rather effectively once school ended. Finding her wasn't difficult; she was the only one plodding along in a sea of fast-moving bodies. It was navigating this rushing river that proved to be difficult. I didn't get a break until we made it outside.

 

            "Juleka!" I shouted at the same time that a familiar voiced said my name. I hesitated, torn between answering my sister's summons and helping out my friend. It was hardly a difficult decision to make.

 

            "Juleka." I said again as I trotted over. She turned to me and I faltered. Lost for words. Really, I didn't know what to say to make this better and the menace approaching form behind would hardly help matters...

 

            "[Name]," she said before making a show of ignoring me. It was obnoxious but saying so would only make whatever she'd come over here to say take that much longer so I waited. "Come on. I'm getting my nails done and mom says I can't go alone."

 

            Irritation flared on my face, "Why not ask one of your friends to go with you?"

 

            She stared at me blankly for a moment before asking simply: "Are you stupid?"

 

            I rolled my eyes and cocked a hand on my hip, "Yeah, I guess so. Enlighten me, princess."

 

            She grinned, "Of course, plebeian. It's quite simple really. Tomorrow's Picture Day--"

 

            "I kno--"

 

            She held up a hand. "Don't cut me off. Anyway. As I was saying, it's Picture Day so of course I can't go with my friends. They have to be just as surprised as everyone else when I show up looking the best. So suck it up, say goodbye to your little friend, and let's go. 'Kay?"

 

            I scowled at her and debated on whether or not I should call our mother just to confirm what she said. In the end though, I didn't and instead turned to Juleka, "You should come with us."

 

            "Huh?" She said and flicked her eyes nervously to my sister who had wrinkled her eyebrows.

 

            "You don't mind, do you?" I said and turned to my sister. She didn't seem to catch all the emotional undertones in my voice and shrugged indifferently.

 

            "I don't care who you bring so long as it doesn't stop me from getting my eyebrows and my manicure."

 

            "Cool. In that case, bring Rose, too." My sister just rolled her eyes and flipped out her phone to wait.

\--

            Waiting for someone to get their nails done had to be one of the most boring things anyone could possibly do. It was literally watching paint dry. I needed _something_ to keep me from losing my mind and I figured helping out Juleka was a decent way to do it. She'd agreed to come very reluctantly. I had no doubts that she'd rather be at home, burrowing under her blankets with her cat, but I didn't think wallowing would help her get over the inevitable. Not that I had any decent ideas on how to get her to do that.

            I was busy thinking up ways with Rose when Juleka rose from her space between us to examine the colors on display. I sighed and slumped in my tiny seat by the window. Rose worried her bottom lip as she watched Juleka before turning to me, "Maybe you could try taking pictures of her? She told me you were good with a camera."

 

            "Yeah but not _that_ good. I've already tried that. Loads of times." It wasn't like anyone could be friends with me and _not_ have their picture taken at some point, after all. I had hundred of photos, even a few dozen of people I'd rather not remember. It said a lot that I couldn't keep a single one of Juleka. I grumbled and shifted a little to take the pressure off my tailbone. "It's always been like this. I tried to convince her that being in front of the camera wasn't for everyone--that there were people like me who did great behind it. But that doesn't stop her from wanting to be there."

 

            "Can you blame her? It's different when you're just not comfortable in photos or when you just don't look good in them. But poor Juleka can't even get one picture of herself even though everybody knows she looks amazing!" Rose lamented.

 

            I tilted my head and closed my eyes in agreement, "I used to try to get pictures of the her all the time. She's really pretty and she seemed so photogenic, I couldn't resist. But nothing ever went right and my patience is...not the best. Every bad picture just made us more and more frustrated until it became something of a touchy subject. Not that it hadn't always been for Juleka. I mean she must have already known it wouldn't work even then which makes me wonder why she even indulged me in the first place. But like you said: everyone wants to have at least _one_ good picture of themselves even if they don't want to be in front of the camera."

 

            "...I think it's more than that." Rose said thoughtfully. I glanced at her. "I think she feels alone and invisible most times. I think she thinks people will forget about her so she wants to have something that will prove she was there even if no one knows who she is."

 

            I hummed and closed my eyes. Duusu, who'd been strangely quiet this whole time, spoke up suddenly, "She reminds me of you."

 

            I turned my face away, pretending to sneeze into my elbow as I murmured, "Rose or Juleka?"

 

            "I think you know. And I also think she could use the same advice I'm always giving you." She chirped. I scowled and settled back against my chair. Duusu nudged me. "Go on! Help her pick out a color. Make sure it's one that'll make people notice her, too!"

 

             I groaned irritably but complied without argument. It wasn't like I had any ideas of my own. It could hardly hurt to take the advice of a centuries-old spirit, "Come on, Rose."

 

            The tiny blonde blinked up at me with her wide oceanic blue eyes, "Where are we going?"

 

            "To pick out a color for Juleka to get on her nails," I explained simply. "I don't know how tomorrow's going to go but I think she should be ready for the camera just in case."

 

            Rose gasped and rose to her feet with a bright smile. Without further preamble, she bounced over to Juleka and started plucking nail polishes from the rack. Juleka, for her part, looked confused and even hesitant at first but then my sister appeared. She'd been in the back of the room, getting her eyebrows waxed and was now being led to a plushy spinning chair to start on her fingers. She flicked her eyes over our little group as she passed. I stared at her harshly, daring her to say something cruel out of her mouth but she didn't seem to notice. Instead she flicked her eyes over the colors in the two girls' hands and tilted her head...

 

            "That pastel turquoise. With black henna designs." She looked at Juleka who stared back with wide russet eyes. "Make sure it's gel. That suits you better. Now move. I need a color for myself."

 

            Juleka stepped aside obligingly, more interested in the suggested colors than my sister's attitude. I pursed my lips and sighed, "...I hate to say it but she's right." Juleka looked up, surprised. "Pastel shades will really contrast all the black you like to wear. It helps that your skin is so pale...Besides, turquoise in that shade works with the purple in your hair and even if it didn't the black would tie them together..."

 

            "So you think I should do it?"

 

            I shrugged but Rose took it a step further and threw her arms around Juleka's waist, "You've got to look your best for picture day, right?"

 

            "I've got a bracelet that matches that color, too, if you want to borrow it." All three of us turned to stare at my sister in astonishment. My head turned so fast that I actually felt a twinge in the muscles of my neck. My sister wrinkled her freshly-plucked brows. They were pink and a little swollen but beautifully done despite that. " _What_?" She snapped.

 

            I pulled the corners of my lips down and opened my eyes innocently as I shook my head minutely, "Nothing. You're good."

 

            "...Thanks," Juleka murmured with a small, pleased smile.

 

            My sister narrowed her eyes at us suspiciously but eventually flipped her hair over her shoulders and turned away, "I'll give it to [Name] to give to you tomorrow."

 

            Juleka nodded and stepped forward lightly when an Asian woman motioned her towards a station. Rose bounced along beside her and took the only other chair there. I sighed and settled back by my window, resigning myself to waste at least two hours doing nothing.

 

 

 


	9. Picture Perfect: Picture Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in case you hadn't already anticipated this, this chapter will follow a little of the episode "Reflekta". It's not going to focus so much on the battle since I've got a thousand and one little plot devices at work here that will come into play later. This was just a really good episode to bring some of them in on.
> 
> I apologize for errors in advance. It's 2am and I have work in the morning...

**_Riiiiiinnnnnnngggggg!!!!_ **

****

           “[Name]! Get up! It’s time for— _Eeek_!!!”

 

            My head popped up at Duusu’s frightened squeal. I blinked my eyes blurrily and just managed to catch the little Kwami trying desperately to bury herself under my blankets before my attention was yanked to my door slamming open. I scrambled to sit up, confused by and not just a little afraid of the dark silhouette looming in the doorframe. Still, my coordination was less than great after such an abrupt wakeup call from a dead sleep and I only managed to entangle myself further as the person stalked forwards. The first of a stream of irrational thoughts was Hawkmoth despite the improbability. That didn’t stop my heart from leaping in my chest. I debated on whether or not it would be worth it to risk revealing my identity by transforming but just as I was starting to lean more towards one decision, the figure reached for my desk lamp.

            Naturally the light blinded me and I squinted and strained to clear my vision. I _just_ managed to make out a form very similar to my own clad in pink and yellow before an unmistakable voice sliced through the silence of my room, “Wake up.”

 

            “Ugh!” I groaned and flopped over as best I could on this stupid air mattress. There were no words to describe how blown I was. I was certainly relieved that the shadow that haunted my dreams hadn’t leapt into reality but that wasn’t saying much when I woke up to a nightmare.

 

            “Come _on_!” I heard my lovely sibling grouse moments before the chill morning air assaulted my body.

 

            I tried unsuccessfully to hold on to my blanket but I was too slow. With a loud growl, I whipped around and rose to my knees, “What the hell!”

 

            “ ** _No_** ,” she began and bent at the waist to sear holes into my skull with her eyes. “I refuse to have the future, though admittedly irrelevant--” she paused to flip her tangled hair arrogantly—“students of Françoise Dupont flip through the yearbook and see that _I_ was related to someone who dressed as ugly as _you_ on Picture Day.”

 

            …

 

            Was she serious? I had to know. “Are you serious?” She simply glared harder and ripped open my closet. I rolled my eyes.

 

            “Oh, my God. It’s just a school picture. What do I need to dress up for?” I complained indignantly when she pulled out one of my dresses. It was cute but it was something I was more likely to wear to a semi-formal dinner or party or a date or something. I wouldn’t step into a school full of scruffy teenagers wearing it. It made no sense! “Shouldn’t they catch me as I was most everyday anyway? It’s more authentic.”

 

            “To Hell with authenticity. That’s why make up and push-up bras exist.”

 

            “So…,” I began and wrinkled my brows, scratching my scalp tiredly. “You want people to remember a fake version of you…?”

 

            She tipped her head back and sighed long-sufferingly, “No, you imbecile. I want them to remember a fake version of _you_ so that you don’t embarrass _me_.”

 

            “…Right…” I drug the word out and rolled my eyes. There was no point in continuing this conversation. It didn’t matter in the end. If she wanted to stress herself out over a stupid picture no one was going to remember two years from now she could do it by herself.

            I looked down for Duusu, intending to take her into the bathroom with me until my sister was done in my room. Then I remembered she’d tried to hide in the blanket and my blanket was torn away by my sister and tossed about haphazardly. My eyes widened as my heart jumped to my throat before landing in my stomach. I stumbled to my feet and swept my eyes frantically about the room. At first I found nothing which did absolutely nothing to ease my nerves. Then upon a slower sweep, I noticed a tiny ball of blue peeking over top the door to my tiny closet. The very same closet my sister was rummaging through.

            I balked and waved my hands frantically to get Duusu’s attention. Really all it would take was one sudden movement and a casual glance up and Duusu could hardly be trusted to remain still. Even now she was edging closer trying to get a better look. I scowled at her blatant disregard and stalked across the room. Of course she would notice that only it was a bit too late on her part. Before she could do little more than squeak and widen her big bright yellow eyes, I bunnyhopped and clasped my fingers together around her. My sister jumped at the sudden noise and straightened quickly.

            She flicked her eyes between mine and my cupped hands curiously and I grinned evilly, “It’s a spider. You wanna see?”

 

            Her jaw twitched, the only outward indication that she was frightened besides the shift in her pupils. Not even a millisecond later, she shoved me away from her, “Get out of here with that shit. Ew. Why would you touch it with your _hands_. You’re disgusting! I--”

 

            “Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Just hurry it up, okay? I don’t need your germs contaminating my room.”

 

            “ _My_ germs?!” She began incredulously as I left the room. Thankfully she didn’t follow me though I could still hear her fretting. I ignored it in favor of peeking in on Duusu.

 

            She met my stern frown easily, “It wasn’t my fault she moved the blanket! I tried to hide!”

 

            “Yeah and after that?”

 

            “I wanted to see what outfit she would pick. I think a dress would be cute. You never wear them.”

 

            “Yeah, I do. Just not to school. It’s uncomfortable.”

 

            “I think that’s so weird since they’re all breezy and flowy and pretty~”

 

            “And skimpy and short and revealing and too much to worry about with boys and stairs and bending over and a ton of other things I don’t want to worry about when I’m trying to learn shit.”

 

            “But it’s Picture Day! Aww I wish I could--”

 

            “Please don’t.”

 

            "..."

 

            I raised a brow. She scowled.

 

            “It’s not fair--!” She almost shrieked.

 

            “We can do our own little photo session later.”

 

            “It’s not the same! You’re going to be with other people and--”

 

            “We could go see Master Fu and Wayzz? Maybe they’ll want to take a picture with you.” I offered.

 

             “…”

 

            "Promise."

 

            "..." Duusu and I stared at each other for a long minute before the stubborn, unhappy look gave way to a bright grin. “Okay.”

 

            I resisted the urge to sigh in relief. That was the hardest part of today which I could honestly say I was thankful for.

            Saturdays were great days after all. Not only because they meant no school the next day but also because it was a half-day and my schedule this week had it packed with only three classes--History, English, and French.

             All were subjects I did fairly well in: English with Mr. Gobeil was sure to be stress-free, French was a no-brainer, History could go either way but honestly at least it was first, and after that there was only the class picture left to take before I could go _home_.

             It helped that none of the teachers were particularly focused on their lessons. The thrumming energy that came with special events scheduled during the school day influenced them a little, too.

            When Miss Bustier’s homeroom class was called down to the indoor gym, I was one of the first people there. The class representative was also there, watching the photographer set up as she sat on the first two steps waiting for the rest of us to arrive.

 

            “Hello, Marinette,” I said with a little more enthusiasm than was maybe required. She didn’t mind. Instead she smiled and waved her hand lightly.

 

            “Hi, [Name]. How are you this fine day?”

 

            “Very well, thank you,” I replied with a short bow. “How about yourself?”

 

            She giggled and bowed herself, “Likewise! Would you care to sit down?”

 

            “Certainly, miss! Thank you very much.” I tipped my invisible hat, flipped back a nonexistent coattail, and settled down delicately. When I’d finished, I looked over at her with a grin and we both divulged into giggles.

 

            “Very nice, girls! Way to get into the spirit of classic plays!”

 

            Looking over, we saw Miss Bustier striding over with a bright smile on her pale face. A book— _Les Femmes Savantes_ —was tucked into the crook of her crossed arms. I smirked while Marinette grinned and touched her hand to the back of her head, “Thanks, Miss Bustier.”

 

            “That actually gives me a great idea,” she said thoughtfully. I looked to my side and pursed my lips innocently. Usually when teachers had ‘great ideas’ that meant more work for their students and quite frankly I didn’t want that on a Saturday. I certainly didn’t want people to know I was the cause of it if she did end up coming up with something horrible. “This is our last week for classic playwrights and I do have to test you on it…But we covered so much, wouldn’t it be easier to ask you to put on a short play summarizing the playwright and the work we covered in class?”

 

            “Uh…” Neither of us were particularly eager to answer that question but Miss Bustier was waiting eagerly for some sort of feedback so…

 

            “Marinette. You’re class representative. What do you think?” I asked, wincing at how quickly her head whipped around to gasp at me. She looked panicked and not just a little put-off by the sudden responsibility.

 

             “I…I…” She glanced from me to the teacher and back again. I urged her on impatiently and she hurriedly looked back at the redhead with wide eyes. “Iiii…think that I should talk to the rest of the class about it! Hehe! To see if they’ll be up for it?”

 

            Some of Miss Bustier’s enthusiasm sifted away. Her smile fell and her emerald eyes darkened a little but she accepted the answer graciously, “Well, let me know by Monday. You’ll need enough time to work on it if everyone agrees.”

 

            “Yes, Miss. Bustier.”

 

            “She’s gonna do it anyway,” I said plainly without taking my eyes off our teacher who’d turned her own attention to smiling at the students making their way over.

 

            Marinette made a curious sound, “What makes you say that?”

 

            “‘Cuz she needs a break and it’s easier to watch us bumbling around in front of class than to stare down a stack of test papers.”

 

            “…” Both of us sat in silence for a while until Marinette grew bored of teacher-watching and said, “Well, I’m still going to ask anyway.”

 

            I dipped my head, “And you should. It’d make you look bad otherwise.”

 

            “Oh, please. Marinette doesn’t need help to look bad. She’s practically the clumsiest girl alive,” Chloé giggled as she descended the steps behind us.  

 

            Marinette rolled her blue eyes. She was planning on just ignoring her but I couldn’t. Not with the way she was sneering at us like she’d won something. I rose to my feet and met her head on, “I don’t know which is worse: needing only one person to make you look bad or needing _so many_ to make you look _good_. How many people is that? A make-up artist, a hair stylist, a fashion consultant, a nail artist…Hmm…” I trailed off mockingly.

 

            “You’re just jealous because you don’t _have_ any of those.” 

 

            “ _You’re_ just jealous because I don’t _need_ any of those.” She scoffed and flicked her eyes over my body, clearly looking for something to nitpick on. I smirked and cocked a hip, the fabric of my short dress brushing against my upper thighs. It was literally one of like only four or five name-brand items I owned. For once I could honestly say that my sister did me a solid favor. Did it count if it was unintentional?

 

             The blonde growled at me before whipping around to find someone else to terrorize. I grinned at Marinette but she only frowned, “You really shouldn’t feed in to her. She’s very vindictive. She’ll just find some way to get you back for all of it.”

 

            “Oh, I know. The rumors about her temper are legendary but I’m already on her hit-list so what’s it matter? Besides, it’s _a lot_ of fun and I think she’ll learn soon enough that I’ll give as good as I get.”

 

            “But then it’ll just turn into a cycle that never stops.”

 

            “Which means one of us will eventually have to bite the bullet. Right? I just have to make sure it's not me.”

 

            “I suppose…” She seemed skeptical but neither of us delved much further into it. Alya had shown up with Adrien, Max, and Kim… They all settled on random parts of the stairs at random distances away from us except for Alya of course who made a beeline for Marinette.

 

            “Hey, [Name]! Nice dress!” Nino called out as he passed me to get to Adrien.

 

            I studiously ignored the heavy blush that sprung to my cheeks when the other boys turned to look appreciatively and smiled a little, “Thanks.”  

 

            Conversations sparked immediately after that which I largely ignored. I was more interested in watching the photographer set up his equipment. I didn’t know much about all the extra gadgets and bobbles and lights and props. I had access to a decent camera with a good range of settings and a few tricks up my sleeves but I was a far cry from a pro. For one, I didn’t have that kind of money to spend on extra equipment. I would have been stuck with my phone or a simple flash camera if Mr. Robichaux hadn’t thought it imperative to support my interest in photography.

            Curiosity peaked, I thought about getting up and approaching the photographer to ask some questions…But the older brunette man didn’t waste any time and started towards a group of students to start organizing them for their shot as soon as he was done prepping.

            My stomach squeezed and my fluttering heart slowed back to a normal rate. I sighed. What would I have even said anyway?

            I turned away and decided to join in on the idle prattling. Mylène, Ivan, and Nathanaël had arrived in my mental absence. They’d huddled together right next to where I sat with the class rep and her deputy. I broke into their conversation with a smile, “Hi, guys! What’s up?”

 

            Neither Ivan nor Nathanaël said much by way of greetings but I hadn’t really expected them to. I focused on Mylène who’d turned to me with a smile, “Hey, so did you get a chance to talk to your dad?”

 

            “Yeah, he said he’d be happy to help out. We’re having trouble figuring out what the story should be though.”

 

            I shook my head sharply and flicked my wrist, “Keep it simple. You want to encourage him right? Then just make it about a mime who finally lands that big gig that makes his daughter proud.”

 

            She seemed skeptical at first. I could admit that my idea was maybe too simplistic. Easy. But there would be a lot of work just capturing good photos and then we still needed to cut them out and rearrange them together…We only had six days and since all but one would be spent at school… “There’s really not time for anything else.”

 

            Those words seemed to have done it. She nodded her head though she clearly was not completely sold yet. I sighed and pushed that aside for now. I could work on that later. Right now—

            I spotted Juleka and Rose wandering in and noticed Chloé immediately perk up. My eyes narrowed.

            Right now I had to get rid of a pesky fly.

            I rose purposefully from my seat and stalked over. I wasn’t quite fast enough. It never did take long for Chloé to start tearing into someone though she glowered when she marked my approach and meandered over to Adrien.

            She flipped her ponytail as she passed and I wondered vaguely on the possibilities of grabbing and pulling…That impish part of me speculated that it was a clip-on and while it was certainly an enticing theory to either prove or disprove…now was not the time.

            I tried to smile encouragingly at Juleka who looked for all the world like she’d rather be at the very bottom of a bottomless pit than where she was right now. I glanced down at my wrist where I’d carried my sister’s bracelet just to be sure I wouldn’t forget it and slipped it off. It was a fairly heavy thing made of shining silver and teal plating on the sides of the bulbous flat piece.

            I grabbed Juleka’s right hand and slipped the elastic around her wrist before hooking the other two bands around her middle finger. She eyed the whole process curiously and continued to stare at the bracelet even after I released her hand.

 

            “It’s…more of mirror than a bracelet. See that latch? It opens up.” I demonstrated for her when she didn’t move. “Don’t worry about breaking it. I can’t tell you how often my sister used to drop that thing.”

 

            “How when it’s on her wrist?”

 

            I shrugged, “She was right, though. It does match your nails and brings attention to them.”

 

            “That’s not going to be enough to break this curse…”

 

            I laughed a little nervously, unsure of what to say to make it better. Rose spoke up before I had to try too hard. Her enthusiasm grabbed Marinette’s attention who rose to her feet and joined our conversation.

 

            “What’s this about a curse?”

 

            Juleka looked at me but I shook my head and crossed my arms. This was hers to tell if she wanted. And apparently she wanted very badly because she spoke freely after that.

 

            It took Rose a lot of effort to stay quiet while her friend spoke. She was teeming with optimism, “You’re wrong, Juleka! You’ll see! It’ll be different this time.”

 

            Marinette smiled and nodded her head, “For sure. We’ll do everything we can to make sure everything goes right this time. Don’t forget to smile!”

 

            I only just managed to stop myself from saying something negative. Honestly, Marinette was promising something impossible and I didn’t want Juleka to get her hopes up but it was too late. It wasn’t much but she managed to smile back at her fellow raven and I sighed.

 

            “Okay! Time to-a flash your pearly whites-a, guys!” The photographer suddenly declared in a loud, enthusiastic voice as he strode over.

 

            The lot of us descended the stairs and waited with varying degrees of anxiety as his eyes swiftly scanned our class. It took him less than a second to choose the students he wanted for the first row. He urged them along with an impatient roll of his hand that didn’t quite match the kindness in his voice. I was kind of disappointed I didn’t end up with them. That meant I was that much more likely to be in the same row as Chloé.

            Naturally the blonde couldn’t pass up a chance to take a dig at her classmates. I didn’t have it in me to defend them this time. I was more focused on Juleka and where the two of us would end up.

            To be honest I was nervous. Very rarely was I in front of the camera. It was easier as Paonne Blue. No one knew who she was. She could be as ugly as the day was long and it wouldn’t matter at the end of the day. This was something entirely different. It suddenly made sense why my sister wanted to look good and I understood now why Juleka would be so down about a class photo. Especially given her track record. If I messed up now, I’d have to live with it for at least an entire year. I’d have to live with _Chloé_ for an entire year. I had the one-up now but that could change with this.

            I was pulled from my worries when the man called out the next row. I was chosen this time along with Alya, Nathanaël, Chloé, and her ginger-haired sidekick.

 

            “Um, no! There’s been a mistake!” Alya and I rolled our eyes as Chloé started barking. “You see: I’m supposed to stand next to Adrien, preferably in the centre. See? We’re the same size. How _dare_ you put me _behind the rest_? Do you _know_ who my father is?”

 

            “Is he a photographer?” The man asked over his crossed arms. The blonde barely managed to answer in the negative before the man tossed his arms in the air lightly. “Bummer. I could really use an assistant.”

 

            My ears pricked and I gasped. My eyes widened and I had to clasp my hands together to keep my sudden hope and excitement from bursting forth. A thousand thoughts suddenly swarmed my mind so fast I was sure I was developing a headache: Was he serious or just humoring Chloé? How old did one have to be? Did I have to apply or could I just ask? Did I need some kind of degree? Would he accept just anyone? Would he consider an apprentice even if I couldn’t work as his assistant? Would I have time? What if my school hours messed the whole thing up?

            I pouted and shifted on my feet. Those closest to me—Alya, Juleka, and Adrien—turned to look at me curiously. Alya for her part grinned and nudged me knowingly, “You should ask when all this is ove--”

 

            The words tumbled out of my mouth in a huge rushing gasp, “--Oh, my God I want to so bad but I’m so _nervous_ , ah~!”

 

            “Jesus, girl! Breathe!”

 

             “No, Alya! You don’t understand! This is—This is--! Is…Ha!”

 

            “Is what?” Adrien inquired, completely fascinated by my sudden loss of sanity.

 

            I turned my (color) eyes to him blearily, “My _life_! Oh, what if he can give me some tips on how to take better pictures? Or where to find good equipment? Or what schools are the best or (gasp!) what if he can recommend me to some other photographers?! My life would be set! I could be on my way--”

 

            “What are you talking about--”

 

            “Hurry up!”

 

            Alya, torn between wanting to laugh at me and wanting to obey the adults, snagged my arm and towed me along behind her. She had quite a grip. If I wasn’t used to being lugged around by my own sibling I might have overbalanced. As it was, my feet moved on autopilot as I continued to freak out…

            I managed to break out of my stupor when I noticed Marinette giggling at me. I cleared my throat and looked away pointedly. The laughter got louder for a time before we quieted to wait patiently for the last members of our class.

            They were the tallest and didn’t need a bar or a bench to level their faces with the rest of us. Still, something felt off and I glanced around for a moment before I noticed it. Juleka.

            My heart clenched. She’d been forgotten again.

            She stood off to the side all alone, staring into the mirror of my sister’s pale silvery-blue bracelet. She seemed to feel eyes on her and looked up, hunching her shoulders despite the subconscious angling of her body towards us—obviously wanting to be a part of the group but not knowing where she would fit in.

 

            “Uh, excuse me, sir,” Marinette said as she shot her hand up in the air. “You forgot Juleka.”

 

            The photographer blinked and glanced to his side, astonished. He facepalmed, “Ah, sorry! My bad. Um.” He made quick work of correcting his mistake and wrapped his arm around the sad teenager as he instructed her on where to stand.

 

            Those of us in the know grinned excitedly when she took her place next to Adrien. It was short-lived though because the man behind the camera made a small frustrated grunt when he scrutinized us, “No, this isn’t right! Something’s not working here!”

 

            “Uh, of course it’s not working! I’m in the wrong spot!” Chloé called out but the man ignored her and instead began shifting us around. Well. Mainly Ivan though I doubt many others knew that he was the problem. With people like Miss Bourgeois around, that was probably for the best. Juleka, however, started to get anxious as the time dragged on. She glanced down self-consciously as we started moving around again.

 

            “It’s not you. I promise,” I told her as I stepped down from the back for like the fifth time to try my luck in the first row. I hesitated on my way to my spot, debating with myself for a moment before steeling my nerves and bee-lining towards the photographer instead.

 

            “Um…excuse me--”

 

            “Huh? What are you doing?! Get back with the others,” he demanded. I flinched and almost turned away. A quick glance back showed that at least some were starting to get antsy. Chloé had even taken it upon herself to try and climb over Juleka’s shoulder. Thankfully the violet-haired girl wasn’t moving an inch. She was learning!

 

            I grinned and with renewed determination, said confidently to the man, “You’re having trouble with the line of symmetry because…well, because we’re all different shapes and sizes. You need to place the ones who will take up the most space first and then work down from there.”

 

            He stared at me harshly with a deep frown before looking back at my group with a hum. A few moments later he started rearranging my classmates again only this time the deep wrinkles on his forehead disappeared and he beamed. “There! It’s perfect!”

 

            I grinned and moved forward to take a spot. There weren’t any on the benches and I was too short to stand so I settled myself on the ground in front of Mylène who’d dominated the center of the first row. I bent my knees out to the side and leaned forwards a little onto my hands, making sure to look up into the camera so that my face would get enough light. Added bonus: I blocked those terrible purple convers Mylène always wore from view.

 

            “Say ‘Spaghetti’!”

 

            Yeah there was no way I was doing that. I just smiled.

            And smiled….

            And smiled, waiting for the camera to flash or click or _something_.

 

            “Is there a problem, Vincent?” Mr. Damocles asked sharply when the photographer pulled away from the lens and muttered irritably.

 

            “I’m sorry. I have to fetch another battery. Nobody move!”

 

            I sighed heavily and slumped back against Mylène’s legs, “This is taking longer than expected…” I murmured. Duusu was probably raging in my backpack.

 

            “Just a stroke of bad luck,” the rosy-haired skatergirl murmured nonchalantly from my right.  

 

            A stroke of bad luck. A jinx. _Juleka_. I winced, feeling bad for my train of thought but it was inevitable.

            The photographer rushed back. I noticed movement behind me. I glanced up, surprised to see Chloè manhandling a very obviously displeased supermodel instead of the gothic softy I was expecting. A deep scowl settled over my face. The camera flashed—

 

            Well, shit.

 

 

            “Thanks, kids!” Vincent the photographer said with a weary smile and straightened, getting ready to usher in the next group.

 

            Marinette jumped to her feet, pleading desperately with the brunette. I ignored it. It wasn’t like I hadn’t expected something like this after all. I sighed and rose slowly to my feet, “Where’s Juleka?”

 

            Only one person heard me. Everyone else was listening to Marinette, “Didn’t she go to the bathroom?”

 

            I closed my eyes tightly. There were only a handful of things girls went to the bathroom for. And I only knew of three they did without their friends: change their pads or tampons, poop, or _cry_. “…Thanks, Adrien.” I murmured and darted passed him.

 

            I tapped Rose on the shoulder and gently encouraged her to follow me, “I need your help. I'm no good with crying people.”

 

            I expected to find Juleka crying in the bathroom. I didn’t expect to see her _locked_ there, too. Rage leadened my limbs. Rose was the one who removed the chair from the stall…

 

            “I missed the photo, didn’t I?”

 

            I hated how dead her voice sounded…

 

            “Another one of Chloé’s mean tricks…” Rose confirmed. My eye twitched at the name. My fingers curled into tight fists…

 

            Before I knew it, I’d spun on my heels and marched out of the room. I paused only long enough to grab my bag--and subsequently Duusu—from my locker before stalking back into the indoor gym area.

 

            “ **Where’s Chloé?!** ” I thundered in a voice my sister would surely be proud of. Alya and Marinette jumped to their feet. They’d been lounging on a bench nearby though they hurried to my side when they saw how enraged I was. The fear in their eyes was nothing in comparison to the pure terror I would unleash upon that blonde little--

 

            “Whoa, calm down. What happened?”

 

            “ _She locked Juleka in the bathroom!_ I’m going to--”

 

            “We can’t do anything. Everyone’s already gone to lunch.”

 

            I groaned _very_ loudly and dropped down on the bench they were just sitting on, “This is just wrong! Juleka’s like the sweetest person in class! She doesn’t deserve this bullshit!”

 

            Rose rounded the corner slowly and settled down gingerly beside me. She cradled her chin in her hands and sighed morosely, “I guess she really does have the class photo jinx…”

 

            “No, she doesn’t! We’re going to fix this!” Marinette declared. Rose, ever the optimist, leapt to her feet. I only groaned and threw my head back.

 

\--

 

            “Can we go now?”

 

            “No.”

 

            “Now?”

 

            “No.” In the same exact monotonous tone as before.

 

            “…What about now?”

 

            “No.”

 

            “[Name]~! You promised!”

 

            “I did. When we’re done here. And we’re not. We have to make sure we get that new class photo with Juleka. Which means we wait until Marinette finishes playing thief and Rose and Alya come back with her.”

 

            “So--”

 

            “No. And I’ll throw in a couple more for any other question you come up with in the next few minutes: no. No. No. No. _No_. No. No. **No**. No. Nah. Nope. No. **_No_** \--”

 

            “ _Hello!_ ” A voice suddenly said. It was more like an announcement and while the voice wasn’t loud, it certainly carried as if the word had been shouted.

 

            My eyes—half-lidded and bored once I’d been denied my revenge—opened wide as I stared at the pink…thing that drifted down from the sky. It— _she_ —settled easily on the center of the basketball court and declared with all the confidence befitting such an outlandish outfit—like a bubblegum-pink moth-themed clown-princess, “No one has ever noticed _me_ but those days are over. Because from now on _everybody will_ notice me because everyone will _look_ like me. Time to get a new look!”

 

            I watched, my heart racing in dawning fear, as the girl raised her arm and shot a palest-pink beam from her wrist. It engulfed Principal Damocles. I didn’t know what to expect though I can honestly say it wasn't an exact replica of the moth clown-princess. She didn’t waste even a millisecond and turned her wrist—it was actually coming from a jewel imbedded in her skin-clothes—on the photographer, Vincent, and then another person and another and another--!

 

            “Oh, _no_ …” I murmured as I slowly rose to my feet. I didn’t dare draw her attention by moving too fast. I didn’t think I could move very quickly even if I wanted to. “I think I found Juleka…”

 

            “Go, [Name]!” Duusu commanded.

 

            I let out a shaky, shuddering breath. Yeah. That’s right. This was my life now. I shook myself and struggled amidst the chaos to find somewhere to transform.

 

             Honestly I hadn’t expected another attack so soon. It’s only been six days.

            I suppose a tiny part of me was holding out in the hopes that Gloomclast had been a fluke. A once in a lifetime ordeal that maybe I’d eventually think I’d dreamed up after enough time had passed. I still wanted to believe that Hawkmoth was fake. That Master Fu was wrong. That there had been some mistake…But clearly there wasn’t.

            People were starting to understand that something was wrong. They were starting to scream and run if they weren’t already crying…This one was smart enough to block all the exits before her prey had the chance to escape. They took their only other option and instead went in search of a place to hide…

 

            “What are you waiting for?!”

 

            What _was_ I waiting for?

 

 _Help_. My brain supplied almost immediately. I was waiting for someone to help. To save me. To fight for me. To do something to help me. And it dawned on me that it was exactly what the hundreds of other students in the building were waiting for, too. And they didn’t stand not even one-fourth of a chance against this…victim (I couldn’t call her a monster; not Juleka) as I did. I couldn’t wait for Ladybug and Chat Noir. What if they never showed up? What if they didn’t know this was happening? I couldn’t wait. They needed help and it was my duty to deliver.

 

            “Duusu! Flaring Feathers~!”

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer! I do not own Miraculous Ladybug or anything you might be able to recognize from it. This is purely for my own amusement and anyone else who just so happens to like this story, too. Just sayin' 
> 
> Until next time! :D


	10. Picture Perfect: Shattered Glass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was supposed to be both longer and out sooner than this but I couldn't find a way to transition into the next scenes fluidly so I decided to stop messing with it and just post what was already adequate.
> 
> As usual forgive my grammatical or spelling errors; I will come back for them.

            I didn’t really have much of a plan in place after transforming. I recalled the basics from Master Fu—find the hidden trigger, destroy it, and let Ladybug purify the Akuma hiding inside—but I found I couldn’t focus on anything beyond buying time for others to escape. It didn’t look like her laserbeam did anything more than change a person’s outward appearance but I still didn’t want to take any chances. I also didn’t want to fight one of my closest friends if I didn’t have to.

            I approached Akuma Juleka from the side. She was busy terrorizing a group of students who’d managed to block themselves into a corner. She was cackling madly as they cowered before her. One of them happened to catch my eye and I pressed a finger to my lips and motioned for them to run, “Hey, there, Juleka. I--”

 

            The pink clown-princess bristled and whipped around, “ _Juleka_ is _gone_! _I_ am _Reflekta_!”

 

            “O-Oh, well, my apologies, Miss— _eek_!” My body simultaneously locked and arched to avoid the beam she shot at my center. It crashed into the wall behind me and disintegrated into a tiny well of sparkles. I didn’t dare to keep my eyes turned away for very long. It was a good thing I didn’t. Another pink beam was forced my way and I leapt into the air to avoid it.

            Before I could truly recover from my sudden movement, there was another. And _another_. And another still launched my way. I ended up performing some sort of twisted air ballet routine as she hounded me mercilessly. I scowled, frustrated and not just a little terrified by the intensity. I was hoping for a break—just a tiny pause that would allow me to catch my breath, think, anything besides run in pointless circles—but she was relentless.

            Obviously I couldn’t keep this up forever. I’d need to at least try to fight back eventually. Still, I wanted to make sure there weren’t any people around for her to transfigure ~~when~~ if I failed. They needed to be safe and out of the way just in case things got just a little messy, “Clear out, everyone! Try to find another way out or at least a place to hide! Go on, now!”

 

            I urged even as I swooped low to the ground and zoomed towards the akuma victim. Her attention had been temporarily split by my words and the subsequent actions of the students. She lifted her arm to fire at a line of them retreating into the locker rooms, but I grabbed her ankles in my hands and swept her into the air.

 

            “Ugh!” She growled and began to kick and punch at the air and my back respectively. I pulled back just before we hit the wall. Naturally, the sudden stop launched her off my shoulder and she went careening into the bricks.

 

            The force was enough to momentarily stun her. Her legs and arms were stiff and wobbly as she struggled to regain her composure. I didn’t risk it and instead readied my fan, “Juleka--”

 

            She didn’t seem to hear me and instead cast her eyes about the gym as she stumbled to her feet. I glanced around, too, pleased to note that the students had listened to me and disappeared into the woodworks. Reflekta growled so hard her body actually shook before she bellowed, “ ** _Where is Chloé Bourgeois?!_** ”

 

            “[Name]?” Came the incredulous inquiry. My head turned automatically at the sound of my name despite the situation. There was Chat Noir— _thank God, someone else had come!_ —who had paused mid-step to regard Reflekta with wide green eyes.

            I might have wondered how Chat Noir knew [Name] if I wasn’t so relieved he hadn’t drawn the connection between Paonne Blue and me…

            Or if I wasn’t so offended that he actually had the nerve to think that _Reflekta_ was _me_. There was no way I would _ever_ wear that much make up.

            Or pink.

            …And that dress left much to be desired (though I had to admit the shoes were kind of awesome. As were her nails…).

            Either way, there was no smart way to address this travesty without hinting at my identity in real life so I begrudgingly dropped the issue. There were more pressing things to worry about anyway.

 

            “Chat Noir!” I called urgently. His ears—the ones that I’d assumed were fake, leather-like fabric until now—flicked up in my direction, his head and eyes following immediately after. “We need to get everyone out of here.”

 

            He tipped his head quickly and saluted me, “Roger that, Lady Blue. I’m on it.”

 

            Without further preamble, he slinked behind me, presumably to do something about the lockers Reflekta piled against the front doors. Reflekta, like any normal smart person, immediately tried to stop him but I intercepted.

            She’d launched herself forwards while my head was turned but she didn’t get far. I swung my fan and sent her sailing over the sides of the catwalks to my left. She managed to avoid hitting the wall this time by grabbing the railing as she flew passed them. The move pulled her up short but her recovery time meant she needed no more than a second to right herself and lean over to aim at Chat Noir.

            My heart slammed against my ribs like a sledgehammer and I started to try to divert this attack, too, but Chat Noir wasn’t so easily ensnared. He jerked his head to the side and rolled expertly sideways when he spotted Reflekta’s brown gaze trained on his form. Reflekta did not leave any more room for countermeasures than she had with me and fired laserbeam after beam after the pouncing cat hero.

 

            “She won’t stop!” I informed the golden blond even as I made massive leaping bounds towards Reflekta. She was firing off too many bursts for me to fly directly at her but Chat’s presence also meant she wasn’t paying as much attention to me as she should have.

 

            “Okay, change of plan!” He huffed as he rebound from a particularly long leap. Instead of trying to evade her, he started moving in an indirect line towards her. I didn’t know what he had planned but I figured putting her further into his path wouldn’t hurt anything and swiped my fan again. The burst of wind magic threw her off balance and she stumbled backwards.

            Just as she regained her footing and opened her eyes to glare at me, Chat Noir swung across the basketball pole, ripping off the net-less hoop as he went. In one impossibly fast, fluid movement, Chat flipped through the air, dropped the metal band down over Reflekta’s head, and landed behind her back.

            Both of us paused just long enough to see if it would hold…

            It did.

            Chat Noir smirked and started towards me with a happy, self-confident laugh. I sighed as a heavy weight lifted from my shoulders and cocked a hand on my hip with a lopsided grin, “Nice one~”

 

            He huffed and suddenly struck a masculine pose. I raised an eyebrow in amusement.

 

            “Thanks,” he grinned before flipping off the edge of the catwalk and streaking towards the barricaded front doors.

            I watched curiously as he activated his special power only to be distracted by an ominous, heavy, pop! I turned and only just managed to duck before Reflekta’s magic hit me.

            Unfortunately Reflekta—like she’d continued to display throughout this entire ordeal—was very quick on her rebounds and fired a parting shot at Chat Noir before shifting her attention back to me. I could only assume from Chat Noir’s astonished warble that he’d been hit. I dived off the edge of the catwalk and hovered to his side.

 

            “Oh…,” My hands flew to my mouth at the sight of the unwitting Reflekta doppelganger. “Scheiβe, Chat! I’m sorry!”

 

            “Much better!” Reflekta hissed as she appeared behind us. I gasped and readied my fan but she lowered her arm and sneered triumphantly at the newest pink moth clown-princess. “I _hate_ cats!”

 

            Chat Noir hurried to lift his hand in the air and resummon his diffused magic…but nothing happened. He (she?) gasped and examined his fingers. I stared in mounting dismay as panic flickered faintly behind his (her? I shook my head and tried to focus) brown eyes, “My ring…my Miraculous…! It’s gone!”

 

            He flicked his brown eyes to me and I gazed back helplessly. The fear that I’d managed to suppress until now flickered back to life like a tiny sparking flame in my gut, “So in normal people, it seems like it only changes their appearance but…but in _us_ it removes our powers…”

 

            A deep frown pulled at Chat-Reflekta’s sculpted purple lips as he met my eyes seriously, “Don’t get hit, Paonne Blue. You’re gonna havta help Ladybug get the Akuma this time.”

 

            “Don’t worry. You can do it. It’s not hard,” he added in a soft encouraging voice when I turned my eyes away and started breathing heavily.

 

            “‘Not hard’?” I scoffed. “You’ve been doing this for how long? And you still got…whatever it is that’s happened to you.” I said gesturing to his frame. I wondered absently just how _much_ of his body it changed but decided it was probably best not to go there. “This is only my second time fighting...”

 

            “Akuma victims,” he supplied as Reflekta bellowed once again into the empty gym for Chloé’s location.

 

            “Right. That. Those. I don’t--”

 

            “Don’t worry,” he said and placed his hands on my shoulders firmly. It was so _weird_ hearing a guy’s voice come out of a body this girly…“I’ll help you out as best I can.”

 

            I looked deeply into those pretty, clear, brown eyes that seemed so familiar and…

 

            And frowned deeply.

 

            “This is so fucking creepy…”

 

            He huffed and pulled back, looking himself over contemplatively, “I don’t know. I think I pull this off very well.”

 

            I laughed loudly despite myself and he grinned.

 

            “I’ve just got one question.”

 

            “What’s that?”

 

            “Where’d Reflekta go?”

 

            …

 

            “Oh, kitty litter…”

 

            Just then, a torrent of pink laserbeams peppered the floor. Both of us looked up and spotted Ladybug fleeing down the stairs’ guardrail before flipping off and booking it across the gym floor. Chat gasped as his eyes widened.

 

            “C’mon! Let’s go!” He took off after his partner. Or rather he tried to. His ankles twisted underneath him and his knees crumbled into themselves. His arms pin-wheeled desperately but it didn’t help him any. He tumbled to the floor, only just managing to catch himself on his hands before he face-planted. I tried in vain to stifle my amusement when he climbed shakily to his feet and glared accusingly at his feet, “Who invented these things?!”

 

            I giggled harder and scooped him up in my arms, “I’m surprised you’re having so much trouble! They were originally intended for men, too, after all.”

 

            “Yeah, whatever,” he groused and wrapped his arms around my neck. “Just drop me off in that classroom under the stairs. There were a lot of people in there. I think they can help.”

 

            “Of course, Princess~” He pouted. I imagine there’d also be a blush there if Reflekta’s make-up wasn’t so heavy.

 

            “I’m going to leave you here,” I announced when I stopped in front of a door teeming with muffled crying and angry chattering. “I need to help Ladybug. If she gets turned too they’ll be no way to end this.”

 

            He nodded his head eagerly, “Go ahead. I’ll be there as soon as I’m done here.”

 

            Reflekta’s firing shots were coming closer and closer together and I could hear Ladybug beginning to gasp and grunt under the increasingly heavy assault. It wasn’t hard to find them with such a rambunctious sound and light show. Not that there was anywhere to go. Even if Reflekta hadn’t blocked off all the exits, she’d still cornered Ladybug on the far corner of the gym.

 

            “Soon, like everyone else, you’ll look just like me!” Ladybug scowled and pulled up her arm to strike Reflekta but the clown-princess snatched her wrist and brought her face closer. “But first, I’m going to take your _earrings_ as a _trophy!_ ”

 

            “Not if I can help it!” I gasped and swiped at her back with the fat edge of my fan. Naturally she dodged it. My attack wasn’t exactly quiet or subtle but it didn’t need to be. Reflekta broke away from Ladybug and narrowed her eyes at me dangerously as I stepped in between the space I’d created between them. I furrowed my masked eyebrows imperiously and flicked out my fan to its full span, using its width as a shield.

 

            “You alright?” I tossed over my shoulder to the red and black heroine, never taking my eyes off of Reflekta who was searching studiously for an opening.

 

            “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s about time you showed up.”

 

            I scoffed, affronted, and almost turned my head but stopped myself at the last moment, “ _Me_? _You’re_ the one that’s showed up late to this shindig!”

 

            I might have said more but a crowd of Reflektas suddenly appeared behind, well, _Reflekta_. Chat Noir’s voice echoed from somewhere in the throng: “Time to face-off! Catch her!”

 

            I wrinkled my nose as the mass charged forward. There was a huge flaw in the plan though it wasn’t the one Reflekta exploited. Instead of trying to confuse the mob into mistrusting one another’s identities, she just leapt up and ran atop their heads to avoid them all.

           I suppose it succeeded in making even more space between Ladybug and Reflekta though. Maybe that was his intent from the beginning. If so, Chat Noir was certainly clever.

            Reflekta was undeterred though and held up her jeweled fist menacingly even as she retreated into the air with a great leap, “You’re no match for _me_ , Ladybug! This will all be over soon for _you_! Ah-HAHAHA!”

 

            I readied myself to follow her, bending at the knees to set a powerful launch, but was intercepted by Chat Noir snagging my arm. I automatically rebelled against such treatment and glared at him, “Release me this instant!”

 

            He spared me just a glance before he took Ladybug’s hand in his free one and cut a line through the copies of Reflektas, “Excuse us. Move out of the way.”

 

            My lips quirked up despite my displeasure. I couldn’t help it. That strut and tone of voice were just like a girl’s. Maybe it changed a bit more than I thought. It should have been more disturbing than hilarious but I think the wow-factor was wearing off now that we were out of immediate danger.

            He towed us up a flight of stairs and onto a random catwalk. Ladybug’s feet weren’t nearly as used to being forced to obey another’s will as mine were. It was petty but I took great pride in being able to move so gracefully despite being dragged along by a wobbling boy in heels. When Chat Noir released us, I simply spun to face him with my arms crossed tightly across my chest while Ladybug barely skidded into something similar.

 

           “Chat Noir, is—is it really you?” She asked skeptically as she peered at his face. No amount of staring would bring back even the slight semblance of the cat hero, though. Reflekta’s magic was _strong_.

 

            “‘Couse it is! Can’t you tell by my swagger? Am I still the cat’s meow or what?” He preened though it didn’t quite match up all things considered. Still, his little claw swipes through the air were cute in that awkward way that border-lined between cool and geeky. He was probably an anime nerd in real life.

 

            “Uh…” Ladybug intoned as emotions flittered indecipherably across her face. She was certainly shocked and that twitch in her mask where her eyebrows should be indicated either confusion or irritation. After a second she continued, still just as speechless as her face implied: “I…don’t know what to say!”

 

            She smiled placatingly. I tipped my head, confused by the action. I could only conclude that maybe Chat was more self-conscious about his new appearance than he wanted us to believe and Ladybug was trying to make up for that by being nice. I wasn’t quite so kind especially not after being so unceremoniously dragged about. My hand came up to rest under my mouth as I snickered, “Yeah, I would go with ‘or what’ on that one.”

 

             Chat Noir pursed his purple lips at me before throwing his hands on his hips and leaning forward into his partner’s face, “How ‘bout a ‘thank you’ for getting you out of that tight spot?”

 

            “Ditto,” I groused and recrossed my arms, angling my body towards Ladybug.

 

            Her mouth opened and belted out laughter instead of gratitude. She was laughing so hard her eyes wanted to close but she forced them open so she could keep looking at Chat. So much for sparing his feelings, “Sorry, Chat Noir but you—you just don’t look like yourself!”

 

            I huffed and tipped my head to the side, “What a poor way of getting out of showing proper manners.”

 

            She glared at me with suddenly fiery blue eyes, “I was getting there. Thank you, _Chat Noir_.”

 

            I smirked widely at the snub and chuckled, “You’re kind of petty, aren’t you?”

 

            She bristled but Chat Noir seemed satisfied and replied with the customary ‘You’re welcome’.

 

            She ignored him and turned to face me fully, “You’re really obnoxious. Did you know that?”

 

            “And you’re really uptight. What’s the matter? Chat Noir lost his stick up your ass?”

 

             Ladybug gaped for a moment before scowling and grinding her teeth. Before she could say anything in response, Chat stepped up to play peacemaker, “C’mon, ladies, we’re a team. And in case you’ve forgotten, we’ve gotta de-akumatise Reflekta.”

 

            “She started it.” I said at the same time that Marinette lurched back and snapped: “We?”

 

            She pointed between me and herself, “ _We’re_ not a team and _your_ powers are gone. What are you gonna do? Throw your shoes at her?” She laughed at her own joke but she was the only one. Chat Noir frowned and I glared.

 

            “Remind me who just saved you a minute ago?” Chat Noir asked hypothetically. Ladybug didn’t appreciate it and her laughter died a horrible death.

 

            “I have to find Reflekta fast. The two of you would just slow me down.”

 

            “Says the one who can’t even fly!” I snapped. She opened her mouth to protest but I steamrolled ahead. “I’d like to see you try to get out of this on your own. You’ve been up against her for all of what two seconds? You would have been zapped just like Chat Noir if I hadn’t shown up and besides it’s not up to you to decide who gets to help save the world.” I wanted to add that as the Great Guardian it was actually up to Master Fu but I didn’t know how much they knew about him and I’d already promised to leave their education to their respective Kwamis. “You think I like having to pair up with you? But you’re here now and _I’m_ here now so get off your damn high horse and _work_ with me on this.”

 

            “…” Chat Noir shifted his eyes between us nervously and, as if sensing how precarious the situation was between us, let his own irritation slide off his back like water on a duck’s, “I might not have my powers right now but sometimes I do have ideas…” He said gently as he gazed at Ladybug’s back.

 

            “…” The raven female hunched up her shoulders and tilted her head. It was a struggle to say the next words but they came out firm and sincere all the same. “Okay, yeah…Sorry. …And?”

 

            Chat Noir glanced at me but I shook my head. This was a very tentative truce and I knew my sharp tongue. I would sooner start another argument before I got around to any sound advice and there really wasn’t any time for that. Reflekta had left the school and was now targeting all of Paris. This needed to end as quickly as possible. Chat took my silence as his cue to speak and went into full military general mode, “I don’t think taking on Reflekta face-to-face is the best idea unless you want a facelift, too.” He winked but there was no humor in it.

 

            To my utter surprise, Ladybug closed her eyes and actually considered his words, “…You’re right. And that gives me an idea!”

 

            She didn’t elaborate any further than that. I watched her curiously as she glanced at me meaningfully before snagging her partner by the waist and jostling him towards the railing. She flicked out her yo-yo and watched it sail up beyond the ceiling as Chat asked, “Where are we headed?”

 

            “To the TV station. Here goes! Watch your nails!” She teased as she yanked on the string and went streaking through the air.

 

            I laughed as I leapt off the railing after them, “Don’t forget the hair. I bet it took forever under the hair dryer.”

 

            Ladybug actually perked up and grinned before she remembered she wasn’t supposed to like me. Chat Noir narrowed his brown eyes and complained, “Your jokes are so lame.”

 

            “You haven’t just lost your body, Chat Noir. I think you’ve lost your sense of humor, too.”

 

            “And his balance. It’s quite abysmal now though I imagine those shoes _would_ do that.”

 

            Chat Noir whined as Ladybug giggled, “Oh, come on! These things are killer on the feet!”

 

            Ladybug rolled her eyes good-naturedly before flicking out her yo-yo once again.

 

             Getting access to a TV station wasn’t hard as a superhero. The employees were glad to help especially when Ladybug gave them a rundown of the situation.

 

             “You might want to hurry. She’s moving fast,” I informed the duo as I descended the stairs. They’d gone to set up a broadcasting channel while I went back out to check on Reflekta’s trek through Paris. Ladybug nodded her head and stepped in front of the camera Chat Noir was operating.

 

            It was a brief message: a simple thing of encouragement and advice on how to help Ladybug distinguish the real Reflekta from the fake ones. I didn’t see how announcing that to everyone would help matters at all. Chat didn’t either and immediately called her attention to the glaring hole, “Sorry, but, isn’t your plan just a little complicated?”

 

            “This isn’t my real plan.”

 

            “Oh, good, because it’s awful,” I blurted before I could stop myself. The relief was just too overwhelming.

 

            Ladybug simply rolled her eyes and continued, “Reflekta knows we’re here now. All we have to do is wait for her to show up to attack us.”

 

            A lightbulb flashed behind my eyes and I nodded slowly, “…Right because only the real one would want to confront you because only the real one wants your Miraculous! Where is yours by the way?”

 

            She hesitated for a moment before deciding it wouldn’t hurt anything to say and murmured, “They’re my earrings.”

 

            “Are you sure she wants it that badly? I mean there’s always the chance that she’ll just take over Paris while we’re hiding away here waiting for her and then it’ll be _really_ impossible to tell who from who,” Chat Noir reasoned.

 

            I huffed a laugh and flipped my hair back off my shoulders, “Ooh, no. Trust me. She wants them. Or rather Hawkmoth wants them and he wants them _desperately_.”

 

            “How do you know that?” Ladybug asked. I couldn’t tell if she was just confused or suspicious though it would probably be wiser if she were the latter. Or it might have been if the enemy wasn’t so obviously not me considering the situation.

 

            Either way, I shrugged to mask how my heart suddenly started racing. It was hard to keep track of what I wasn’t supposed to know around so many different people, “You don’t trust your own plan?”

 

            She waved her hand dismissively, “It’s not that. Just, you’ve only fought one Akuma victim that I know of and I don’t think we mentioned anything about Hawkmoth.” She shared a glance with Chat who shook his head to confirm her words.

 

            I laughed and waved my hands, “I learned it from my Kwami! We all have one. Don’t you talk to yours?”

 

            “Of course. All the time,” Ladybug nodded. My shoulders relaxed a little.

 

            Chat Noir lifted his own in a shrug, “Mine only talks when he’s complaining. Usually when he’s hungry but he complains a lot, period.”

 

            “Mine’s an emotional chatterbox. Doesn’t quite know when enough’s enough.”

 

             “Is mine the only one that doesn’t give me any trouble?” Ladybug asked after we lapsed into silence. I could tell from her hesitant manner that this wasn’t a usual topic. They probably avoided personal conversations in favor of battling.

 

            “Uh, yeah,” I offered at the same time that Chat Noir nodded and said, “Probably.”

 

            “Huh.” She said.

 

            I quirked a grin and tilted my head, “You’re lucky.”

 

            “Well, she _is_ a ladybug.”

 

            “Touché.”

 

            We all tensed when the loud echoing sound of a heavy metal door creaking open reached our ears. Ladybug narrowed her eyes, determination set heavily on her face, “Quick! Hide!”

 

            We all disappeared behind the stairs on either side of the double doors just before they opened. Ladybug’s plan was rather straightforward and went over without a hitch…except for the part where it wasn’t the real Reflekta. It wasn’t too hard to set things right though especially when her _Lucky Charm_ generated a camera.

            It was all so ironic: Reflekta who was really Juleka who only wanted to show up on camera…

            Ladybug stared at the item in her hands for a moment before I leaned over to offer her advice. I couldn’t help it! The solution was so easy especially considering my obsession, “Turn on the flash and nix the lights.”

 

            “Of course! Chat Noir--!”

 

            “On it!” He chirruped as he teetered over the power switch.

 

            This time when the Akuma was released I was able to see how Ladybug purified it. The process was really rather anticlimactic and Pokémon-esque though certainly flashy enough. I still say the most impressive bit was when she invoked her Ladybug Miraculous and reversed all of Reflekta’s damage. I wondered if the Peacock Miraculous had anything like that? Like a mass hypnosis or stunning effect or something equally badass?

            Probably not. It was a First Tier Miraculi after all.

 

            I was pulled from my musings when the mass of magical ladybugs swept over the Reflektas in the room. The newly reformed blond smiled down happily at his hands as Ladybug approached her partner and smiled warmly, “You were awesome, Chat Noir.”

 

            He smiled back, “And with those shoes on, too! Which, by the way, should be illegal.”

 

            “I don’t know. I think you’d look good in heels. They’ll make your legs look even better than they already do,” I smirked. Chat Noir pouted though it did little to distract from his heavy blush.

 

            I didn’t expect him to be able to say anything in response. He usually clammed up when flirtatious jokes were hurled back at him. It was a little surprising when he returned my grin with half-lidded eyes.

 

            “I don’t need help to look this good,” he winked. I stared at him for a moment before we both burst into laughter.

            It felt good. It felt good that this was all over for now. It felt good to have been able to help this time without getting in the way. It definitely felt good to see Chat back in his normal body. It was funny at first but after a while, I started to miss his black form strutting about. It was better this way.

 

             Ladybug let us alone for a few seconds but then cleared her throat. Rather awkwardly actually and Chat Noir immediately bowed and stepped back. I turned my (color) eyes to Ladybug’s neutrally and cocked a hand on my hip when she made no move to speak further, “I take it this is the part where we go back to hating each other.”

 

              “I…” She started and then hesitated. A second later a shadow settled on her face and she looked away. “I still don’t like you.”

 

            “Oh, definitely mutual, sweetie.”

 

             She quirked a smile despite herself and I smirked, “But…you were good today, too, and you were right: it’s not up to me to decide who deserves to fight against Hawkmoth especially if he wants to conquer the whole world and I’m sure we could use help with something that big…” She sighed and shook her head before looking back at me and squaring her shoulders. “I guess what I’m trying to say is: thank you and welcome to the team.”

 

             I hummed musically and grinned widely. Surely it was irritating for her but that was kind of the point, “Oh, you’re _very_ welcome!”

 

             “…You’re still going to be obnoxious, aren’t you?”

 

            “Most definitely. Are you still going to be uptight and bossy?”

 

            She tipped her head to the side and shrugged. A guilty smile that really didn’t look guilty so much as unapologetic curled her lips, “So glad we understand each other.” She turned away and took hold of the newly reconverted Juleka by the hand and led her over to Mayor Bourgeois. “Can you make sure she gets back to the school safely, please? Thanks.”

 

             She turned to us one last time before smiling and nodding, “See you later, Chat Noir. Bug out.”

 

            Silence reigned between us for all of two seconds before I leaned over heavily to one side, “So…Is she the only one that reached her time limit today?”

 

             “Yeah, looks like being blasted by Reflekta reversed the effect of using my _Cataclysm_.”

 

              “Hmm.” I held my pose for a moment longer before straightening suddenly and popping my lips. “Welp! Looks like we’re done here so we might as well roll out, too, huh?”

 

             “What’s your hurry? Got places to be?” Chat Noir hummed as he sidled up to me. I glanced at him from the corner of my eyes and smiled slyly.

 

             “Yes, actually.” Now that Juleka was on her way back to the school, we would likely still have to retake our picture if Marinette succeeded in deleting the photo. I couldn’t be certain with that whole Reflekta business but it was better to be safe than sorry. “Why~? You had something on your agenda?”

 

             “Not really. I’m kind of free for the afternoon.”

 

             I giggled and wiggled my eyebrows suggestively, “Is this an invitation to go out?”

 

             He dropped the flirtatious air as he considered the question, “Sure, I guess. I mean, I’ve never really hung out as Chat Noir before since I don’t really _know_ anyone as Chat Noir. Except Ladybug but she’s usually gone right after a fight.”

 

             I giggled into my hand and glanced at him again as we exited the building and stepped into the blazing sun. It made his golden blonde hair shimmer and his emerald eyes greener especially since the elongated pupils contracted, “Would you like to?”

 

            “Sure. I’d like to try doing a lot of things I’ve never done before,” he said with a bright toothy smile. His words triggered something in me—a memory of something I’ll probably remember much later when it was no longer relevant…Whatever. It really _was_ time to get going just in case someone at school happened to start looking for me and found me missing.

 

              I smiled apologetically and lifted a few feet into the air, “I’m sorry but today’s not a good day. Maybe next time?” His excitement dimmed only a little at the postponement.

 

              “I’ll hold you to it, Paonne Blue,” he winked before twirling out his metal stick and catapulting away as I took off. I watched him vault over roofs from way above before he suddenly slipped off of one and disappeared--indistinguishable from any civilian on the street after he transformed back and came out of hiding.

 

\--

 


	11. Picture Perfect: Perfected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry! This took way longer than I expected though my lack of internet didn't help matters at all...I'm doing this off my phone so please excuse any mistakes. I'll come back for them.

            Things were strangely tranquil when I returned to school. Students were milling about languidly with their teachers—sitting on steps, leaning on walls, lounging on benches—as they waited for the photographer to call them over for their pictures. The whole thing threw me off. Like stepping into an alternate universe where no one remembered the last half hour or so even happened. I was starting to worry about their mental health if they could shake off things like this so efficiently…

            I didn’t see more than maybe three or four other students from Miss. Bustier’s class lingering around. There wasn’t really any reason for it considering our picture was done. Classes were over and the doors were no longer blocked either.

            I might have gone home myself if I wasn’t still expecting some word from Marinette. And speak of the Devil.

 

            “Hey, [Name]!” She called as she trotted over to me.

 

            I turned my eyes very reluctantly away from dismantling Chloé who’d just strolled in between an archway to gaze at my fellow raven, “Hi, Marinette. How’d it go?”

 

           “O-Oh! Well, I, uh…” She shuffled her feet and smiled anxiously. “That’s a long story.”

 

            I furrowed my eyebrows, “…Does that mean we’re a no-go on the retake then?”

 

            “No, no.” I frowned, a little disappointed at the news. At my expression, Marinette’s shifted and she scrambled to correct her mistake. “Oh! No! I mean, _yes_! I mean--! _No_ , we’re not a no-go but we’re not a ‘ _yes’_ either because--” At my raised eyebrows, she stomped her foot and glared at nothing before resettling herself. When she tried again, it was much easier to understand. “I haven’t talked to him yet. I was actually going to do it now right after I give Chloé her phone back.”

 

            I flicked my eyes down instinctively to her hands, “Why do you have her phone? I thought the plan was to get the camera chip and delete the—oh, nevermind.” I cut my own self off, guessing that all that had to do with that long story she mentioned. I really wasn’t in the mood to listen to it either. My stomach was starting to growl and I realized quite suddenly that I hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

 

            “Yeah, it was…,” she confirmed. Then a determined look came over her face and she squared her shoulders. “But that’s not the right thing to do even if it would make everything all right with Juleka.”

           

            I resisted the urge to snort. I couldn’t care less what the right thing was when it concerned fixing something Chloé ruined in the first place but in the end it was Marinette’s plan and her choice so I left it alone, “Fine. Then we should probably tell Juleka the bad news now before it’s too late.”

 

            “I don’t think that’s necessary,” Marinette disagreed. Confusion settled over my face.

 

            “Why not?” I asked. Because seriously from what I saw today, Juleka _really_ wanted to be in that picture—bad enough that she literally turned into a monster when Chloé intercepted Marinette’s promise to her. I didn’t think waiting to break it to her would help matters. In fact, dragging out an unfulfillable promise might just hurt her more instead.

 

            “Because we haven’t tried the simplest solution yet.”

 

            “Which would be…?” I trailed off imploringly.

 

            She grinned brightly and strode away purposefully, “We ask him nicely if he’ll retake it!”

 

            I quirked a smile, “Right. Because we’re super cute and he can’t say ‘no’ to us. Really, Marinette?”

 

            “Well, it’s worth a try, isn’t it?” She insisted in response to my sarcastic tone. I released a put-upon sigh but followed after her anyway.

           I purposely lingered further back when she approached Chloé with her phone in hand. I didn’t see how she could smile so easily at someone so evil. Was she really that sweet? Should I feel bad for not being able to turn the other cheek and do the same? I felt almost petty by comparison. But then I remembered Juleka’s tears and the feeling passed. My anger was justified and no one could convince me otherwise.

           The photographer was in the middle of adjusting his lens for the class currently before him when Marinette sidled up next to him.

 

           “Uh, hey…you dropped this,” she said lightly as she held out a tiny microchip to his face.

 

            Vincent blinked, surprised, but accepted the piece easily with a “Ah, grazie,” and turned back to his camera. Clearly he believed that to be the end of it so Marinette spoke up again before he could get too reabsorbed in his work, “I know you’re very busy but one of our classmates wasn’t in the photo you took. Is there any way we could do it again?”

 

            Marinette’s smile was small and sweet and innocent. So much so that even he could not deny her outright despite his obvious desire to. He scratched the side of his head as he started on his list of excuses, “Well…I’m already running late with everything that’s been going on and…Mr. Damocles…Well…”

 

            We both turned our eyes to the older man standing beside the class currently seated on the benches, watching our exchange as closely as the pissy owl he resembled. It might have been funny if the situation was different. I offered the man an easy smile as Marinette turned back to Vincent, “I understand but could you do it after you finished at the school? We could set it up in the park next door!”

 

           “Ah…you see, the thing is…”

 

           “We just want an awesome photo taken by the most awesome photographer,” Marinette interjected before he could decline again. “Please?!” She squeaked, complete with a bow and folded hands.

 

            Vincent smiled in amusement and the reluctance fell away. Stroking his ego a little seemed to be all he needed to be persuaded.

           Unfortunately that wasn’t the case for our principal. He stalked across the small expanse with his chest puffed and his nostrils flared.

 

           “What seems to be the problem?” Vincent faltered a little under his intensity. Instinctively his brown eyes flickered over to us, prompting Mr. Damocles’ to make the journey too. “Excuse me, misses, but we’re already behind schedule. Kindly stop wasting the photographer’s time so we can finish this up.”

 

           The words were polite but the tone was far from it.

 

          “There was a problem with our class picture. We just wanted to--” Marinette started to explain. Mr. Damocles cut her off though.

 

           “No,” he interrupted firmly with a fierce wiggle of his bushy eyebrows. “You’ve already taken your picture. Whether you like it or not, you’re finished here.”

 

           “That’s fine,” I said imperiously when it seemed Marinette couldn’t find the words to say. “We were just asking if he could come and take pictures in the park after he’s done here anyway so we wouldn’t be in anybody’s way.”

 

           “I’m not paying for an additional session in the park just so you can retake a picture that is already done.”

 

           “You don’t have to. I’ll do it for them at no cost to you,” Vincent said as he lightly pinched Marinette’s chin. I smirked as she giggled and he smiled. “Only…since it’s not an official photo session and no one is paying for the pictures I can’t use my camera. My boss would kill me!”

 

           Marinette’s face fell in time with her shoulders. My brows furrowed as a thoughtful frown dragged at my lips. It made sense. After all, nothing was free in the world. Still, there had to be a loophole. There was always a loophole, “…What if we used _my_ camera?”

 

           All eyes turned to me, “It’s not as nice as yours but it’ll still take some really awesome shots.”

 

           Marinette’s eyes widened and she bounced a little on the balls of her feet, “[Name]!”

 

           I grinned and shrugged my shoulders, “I can even see about getting the pictures into the yearbook. Maybe not as an official class photo mind you but still.”

 

           “Really?!” Marinette squealed.

 

           “Yeah,” I nodded. I started to explain the stipulations of borrowing a school camera but she wasn’t very receptive. She was more interested in celebratory rambling that had the others gathered around looking on in amusement.

 

           “Oh, this is perfect! I have to text everyone and let them know. Ooh! And maybe this time I’ll even get to stand next to Adrien--!”

 

           Speaking of Adrien…It’d be a problem if his little leech of a friend tagged along this time. I grinned and crossed my arms, cleared my throat loudly, and said rather commandingly, “There’s one condition: Chloé can’t be in it.”

 

           Marinette’s blue eyes positively twinkled, “Done!”

 

           Mr. Damocles’ disapproving frown was swift and his words, sharp, “You cannot exclude one of your classmates from a class photo--”

 

           “Mmm, but we’re not, though, are we?” Nevermind that that was precisely what Chloé had done before and no one had had a problem with it before... “It’s just a picture that _I_ want to take on _my_ camera that may or may _not_ end up in the yearbook…There’s no rule that says I _have_ to include her in something like that. Is there?”

 

            The principal narrowed his eyes and huffed, “…Well. Not _explicitly--_ ”

 

           “Then it’s a good thing I don’t care for implications, isn’t it?” I beamed pleasantly.

 

           Mr. Damocles bristled. His lips parted to no doubt scold me on my mannerisms. Surely I’d crossed the line between adorably cheeky and unbelievably rude with that last comment. My heart raced nervously but before he could react Marinette spoke up in a polite voice, “Uhm, it looks like your class is ready to take their picture. You probably shouldn’t keep them waiting if you’re already running late…”

 

           Naturally Mr. Damocles was loathe to leave things as they were but to continue on would contradict his own protests from earlier so with an irritated huff he turned away and rejoined the class of waiting students.

 

            Marinette watched him go with no small amount of relief. The stiff set of her shoulders dropped and she sighed audibly. I was just as grateful to have escaped unscathed but there was still a lot of work to do before we could really relax. I nudged her lightly to draw her attention, “Hey. Start spreading the word. I have to go get my camera and we still have to find a nice spot to set up in the park.”

 

            “Oh! Right!” She chirped and flipped out her phone as I beat a hasty retreat.

 

            “Don’t worry, Duusu, I haven’t forgotten about you. I’ll get you something to snack on in a second,” I murmured as I moved through the hallways to the lockers.

 

           “Don’t forget you promised we’d see Master Fu, today, too,” the mildly subdued Kwami insisted.

           I rolled my eyes as I put in the combination. Of course, out of everything, that would be her main focus.

          The park was almost alarmingly empty when I made the short journey over. ‘Almost’ being the key word. It was certainly weird to see a deserted park in the nation’s capital but at the same time I was strangely comforted by it. Parisians clearly weren’t yet so desensitized by monster attacks that they’d abandoned all reason and it was certainly reasonable to want to stay indoors after what just happened.

            Naturally no one from my school had shown up yet. It’d only been a few minutes since the new plan was hashed out. I doubted Marinette even had a chance to start contacting people let alone get them to come back. I suspected most of them had gone home already or were at least starting to. Reflekta made it a little difficult to get out for a while though so hopefully they hadn’t made it too far.

            I decided to use the time to search for a vendor. There were usually a fair number of them passing through. I found their carts after a quick cursory glance but no one manning them. Instead of waiting indefinitely for someone to show up, I merely served myself and left the money tucked into a crevice on the stand. It wasn’t the ideal course of action but neither I nor Duusu were inclined to care too much. It was a tough morning and our stomachs were running on empty. At least I’d paid for what I took.

            I settled on a bench tucked away under the shade of the full boughs of some vibrant trees. Duusu meandered out from underneath my hair and plopped into my lap to take part in lunch. I left her there until I saw Marinette come sprinting over almost fifteen minutes later. Then I ushered her into her hiding spot.

             Alya was in tow, following at a slower pace as she was tapping away on her phone. No doubt she was fiddling with today’s footage for her Ladyblog.

 

             Marinette’s blue eyes flicked around my head as she approached and they widened in approval, “This spot is perfect! You even got us a bench like the real class photos!”

 

             I grinned and shrugged. I supposed I could’ve pointed out that this happened by pure coincidence but was that really important in the grand scheme of things? Because then I’d have to go on about finding a _real_ nice place to take pictures in the park and it most likely wouldn’t have such nice shade and honestly, it wasn’t like these were going to go in my professional portfolio (though I supposed it wouldn’t hurt but still).

             Besides, Marinette was okay with it and all we needed was a simple spot to take a simple picture to prove Juleka didn’t have a curse over her head anyway. Was I a bad friend for not wanting to put an overwhelming amount of effort into something so trivial after I’d just help save Paris from that very same friend? I didn’t think so. Though maybe it wasn’t so trivial if she turned into a supervillain over it…But then that was Hawkmoth’s fault, right? It wouldn’t have been such a big deal if he wasn’t around, yeah?

             I closed my eyes and breathed deeply to refocus my thoughts.

 

            “Where is everybody?”

 

            “They’re coming,” Marinette promised. And then an admittedly disturbing drooly dreamy expression overcame her pretty face. “Even _Adrien_ ~”

 

            I tried very hard to forget that expression as I asked, “How’d you manage that?”

 

            “I asked nicely,” she said simply.

 

            I quirked an eyebrow dubiously before snorting a laugh. Yeah, like I’d believe that. Alya smirked as she joined the conversation, seating herself on the bench next to me as she mock-whispered, “Which basically means she used her position as class rep to trick them into thinking she had something important to ask them about.”

 

            “It’s not a trick!” Marinette barked defensively. Even agitated, the girl was the definition of harmless. It was adorable. “I really do have to get a vote for Miss. Bustier about an upcoming assignment she wants to give us. You remember, [Name]. You were there.”

 

            “Yeah, I remember,” I say laughingly. “Oh wow! You _are_ resourceful!”

 

            Marinette pouted and blushed a little at my teasing. Alya laughed and stretched out to nudge her best friend playfully, “Relax, girl. It’s a good thing!”

 

            “Then why do I feel so weird about it?”

 

            “Because you’re so super innocent that it makes anything absolutely not seem positively retched to you,” I crowed and burst out into giggles. Marinette’s lips curled slyly and she poked my arm lightly in retaliation. “Hey, look on the bright side! Unicorns will _love_ you.”

 

            She rolled her eyes and tried not to smile so obviously lest she ruin the image of annoyance she was trying to sell. No one was fooled, “Is that the camera?”

 

            My eyes flickered to my lap instinctively where the travel bag was hanging from my neck to settle on my thighs and I nodded, “Yeah. We’re good to go.”

 

            “This is gonna be awesome,” she beamed and bounced a little on the balls of her feet.

 

            “Hey! Marinette!” The rose-haired tomboy from our class called as she strolled over with Ivan and Kim in tow. Standing between such tall people made her look that much smaller; ironic since she exuded more confidence than the two of them combined.

 

            “Hey, Alix! Thanks for coming. You, too, guys!” Marinette chirped happily.

 

            “No problem.”

 

            “What’d you need to ask us about?” They asked.

 

            “I’d rather wait until everyone is here so I don’t have to keep repeating it if you don’t mind waiting,” she explained in an almost placating manner. I could see now how she got people to do what she wanted so easily. It was impossible to say no to such a sweet face especially when she combined it with such cherubic tones. 

 

            Predictably, our classmates smiled and agreed easily.

 

            “Yeah, no problem.”

 

            “It’s the weekend. No worries.”

 

            I simply smiled to myself.

 

           Mylène showed up next followed by Nino and Adrien. I glanced at Marinette out of the corner of my eyes and grinned widely at the sudden shift I saw in her. Her shoulders hunched and her knees clacked together and she only just barely managed not to squeal when the two glanced her way with charming smiles. Coincidentally she did forget to greet them back but it was overlooked since Rose and Juleka were coming up behind them.

            Juleka moved hesitantly, flicking her eyes about at the others as if she expected them to suddenly lash out at her. Rose was whispering into what she could reach of her taller friend’s ear as they joined the small throng. No doubt she was offering encouragement that was, thankfully, reinforced by everyone present. Nino cracked a joke about Reflekta and Alya nearly ran the raven over in her excitement to get a post-Akuma villain interview.

           I wanted to approach her, too, but I also didn’t want to crowd her. She didn’t really handle that very well. I imagined her anxiety would be a little worse after what just happened anyway without adding to it. She met Ivan’s eyes of all people and smiled almost ruefully, “It’s…not quite as cool when you’re the one turning into a monster…”

 

            He smiled and huffed a silent laugh. I sensed a story there but I wasn’t quite curious enough to pry.

 

            “Is everyone here? Who’re we missing?” Marinette asked the group at large.

 

            “Me, of course! I can’t believe you would forget!” Marinette’s face went tellingly neutral at the sound of the grating voice.

 

             I was immediately on my feet and pushing to the front of the crowd to intercept. Just because we’d found a solution to Juleka’s problem didn’t mean I’d forgotten or even forgiven that little heathen for the role she played in escalating it. Besides, Juleka didn’t need the cruel judgement Chloé would surely dish out. Someone reached out and grabbed at my bicep gently but before their fingers could fully curl around, I’d already shrugged them off, “No one forgot. You simply weren’t invited. So hurry along and take your pet with you.” I said, jerking my chin in the direction of the ginger-haired girl striking a pose beside the toxic blonde.

 

             “No, [Name],” I heard Marinette say firmly as her hand settled comfortingly on my shoulder. “Sabrina can stay if she’s willing to leave Chloé behind but you, Chloé, are not welcome. Not after what you did.”

 

             Chloé turned her head and crossed her arms challengingly. Marinette met her gaze evenly. Her face was impassive but her blue eyes blazed with a fire I wasn’t used to seeing in the dark-haired girl. The blonde, I had to give her credit, wasn’t the least bit fazed by the display. At least not outwardly. Her eyes did flicker behind us nervously, though. I almost wanted to turn around and see what caused the sudden tightening around her mouth but I felt that would ruin the wall of solidity I was building up.

 

            “Go away, Chloé,” a voice, I think it was Alix if I remembered right, barked. Whatever the blonde saw behind us made the decision for her and she spun away with a huff.

 

            Marinette was satisfied and turned away to address the group as Max and Nathanaël joined. I wasn’t so convinced of Chloé’s disappearance and marked her progress until she stopped behind a tree a few dozen yards away. She met my eyes as she ducked behind it and flinched. I wanted to smirk but imagined it was scarier to just keep staring at her blankly. It worked and she glanced away most reluctantly.

 

           “Stop terrorizing her,” Adrien’s voice said a moment later. There was a faint smile on his face though when I turned to him, affronted.

 

            I pursed my lips and flipped my hair to distract myself from his eyes, “Whatever. If she comes back to start an apocalypse, I’ll know who to blame.”

 

            “Alright, children! Are you ready?” All of us turned at the Italian accent that rose above all of the small side conversations we’d engaged in. Predictably there was a high amount of confusion from those not in the know when Vincent came strolling into view.

 

             Marinette smiled and clapped her hands together in front of her chest when questions began to flow, “Okay, so I know I said I had something important to talk about…and I do just…I really wanted Juleka to be able to be in a class photo with us and Mr. Damocles wouldn’t let us retake it so I thought we could do it now, if you guys don’t mind…”

 

            Her angel voice worked like a charm and happy smiles broke out on everyone’s faces. Many of our classmates turned to Juleka and started chattering at her excitedly. Even she couldn’t keep a straight face in light of such a pleasant surprise. I noticed Vincent’s brown eyes flowing over our heads, searching. I decided to step forward despite the sudden nervousness that assaulted my body.

            What if my camera wasn’t good enough? What if it was too childish for him to work with? What if he decided this wasn’t feasible after all and canceled? I think I’d hyperventilate.

 

           “U-Um…Hi,” I began hesitantly. His eyes immediately turned down to meet mine and a friendly smile split his face. It eased my nerves only slightly. “Here’s the camera. Does that—Will that—I mean, I hope it’ll be okay…?”

 

            I kept the blush off of my face by sheer willpower. I mean, honestly, all this stuttering and mumbling was unacceptable. I needed to get a grip. Of course that was easier said than done but still!

 

            Vincent unpacked the camera and turned it this way and that between his large hands. He twisted the lens and looked through the viewfinder briefly before pressing buttons to turn it on. When it did so with no troubles, he smiled and nodded, “This will be fine. Grazie.”

 

            I sighed and felt my body literally sag with relief, “Oh…great. I mean, you’re welcome, of course.”

 

            “We’re good to go?” Marinette asked and I was glad to see she was secretly just as nervous about this as I was.

 

            I smiled brightly and nodded, “Yeah, we’re fine. Get ready, Juleka.” I said when I meandered over to her.

 

            She dipped her head happily and grinned widely, “…Thanks, [Name]. Oh, here’s your sister’s bracelet back.”

 

            I blinked down at the heavy silver piece of jewelry she was holding out. Miraculously, it was unscathed despite Ladybug literally crushing it, “You don’t want to wear it?”

 

           “No. I don’t think I need it anymore,” there was a secret in her eyes, a growing confidence that stopped me from questioning her decision. Instead I agreed easily and tucked the bracelet into my bag. “Tell your sister I said ‘thank you’, though. It was really nice of her to lend it to me.”

 

            “No problem.”

 

            Unlike before, Vincent didn’t dictate where any of us should stand. I imagined it was because he wasn’t being paid to do it. It was our own photo after all. We made the rules. With that in mind, I took center stage in front of the class and began moving people myself.

            Naturally I kept Rose and Juleka together and made sure the latter was as close to the center as possible. Her hair was so dark though, that I didn’t want her to get drowned out by the shade of the trees. To fix this, I surrounded her with our resident blondes: Adrien and Mylène. Adrien really was tall though so I directed him to stand behind Juleka while Mylène took her left. Alix took up the end of the bench, propping up one foot and resting her arm over her raised knee. It was cool so I left her there. Besides, she was so small she needed something different from the others to make her stand out. Nino and Max were both taller and lankier and if they weren’t seated I felt they would draw too much attention away from the center so they were on the benches with the four girls. Ivan and Kim were behind them at the ends as they posed a similar threat. The rest were free to fill in wherever they pleased so naturally Marinette giddily sidled up to Adrien while Alya took her place beside her best friend. That left Nathanaël to squeeze on Adrien’s other side next to Ivan which really ended up working out since the red of Nino’s cap naturally drew the eyes towards Nathanaël’s blazing scarlet hair.

 

           I heard a hum of approval and glanced over my shoulder at the photographer who smiled appreciatively at my work, “You have a good eye for this.”

 

           “…” I liked to have died I was so ecstatic. “Thank you! It’s my dream to be a photographer.”

 

            That caught his attention, “You don’t say! You should have said something earlier!”

 

            I couldn’t smile any wider if I tried.

 

            “Come on, [Name]! I can’t hold this pose forever!” I glanced over at Nino who looked rather comfortable with his arm draped over the back of the bench behind Rose’s shoulders. I thought of calling him out but decided it’d be unfair to keep making Juleka wait. This was about her after all, not me.

 

           I couldn’t resist sticking out my tongue though when I moved to squat in front of Mylène.

 

            “Ok, we’re all good here. Everybody, ready?!”

 

            The camera flashed and everyone held still for just a moment longer before relaxing and starting to break away.

 

            “Hold! One more for good measure!”

 

            “Point at Juleka, you guys!” Alya whispered just before Vincent focused the camera. I was shocked when Nino and Max dropped down onto one knee on either side of me, gesturing towards me as if I were a princess and they noble princes. Only of course I knew this was meant for Juleka so naturally I scrambled out of the way.

            I leapt into the seat both Alix and Max had abandoned and stretched across Mylène to lightly touch Juleka’s elbow. Adrien grinned at me before getting the idea to place his hands lightly on the raven’s shoulders and resting his chin on her crown.

 

            “Aww~! Cute!” I beamed up at him before I could stop myself. Not that I would. It was absolutely _adorable_ especially when Juleka sort of curled into him with a blushing smile.

 

            Vincent snapped the picture then and this time we were allowed to meander off. Marinette flitted between them as they all prepared to leave. I imagined she was finally gathering that tally of votes Miss. Bustier would want by Monday for our Lit class.

            Nino lingered a bit longer to take a couple more pictures with Juleka as did Adrien and surprisingly Kim. They flanked Juleka: Adrien and Kim striking a guarding pose with imaginary guns on either side while Nino took over the front.

            The two left after that but Adrien stayed and watched with a smile as Juleka, Rose, and Marinette took one last silly photo.

 

            “The ‘class photo curse’ is broken!” Rose cheered in her slightly squeaky voice as the last of us—Adrien, Alya, Marinette, and Juleka—huddled around Vincent to look over the shots. Adrien wasn’t really interested in checking out the photos. I imagined it had a lot to do with constantly being in front of a camera on a daily basis.

 

            “Thanks, Marinette,” Juleka murmured sincerely from where she was leaning over the bench, Rose cradled on her back.

 

            The bluenette smiled up at her warmly, “You’re very welcome.”

 

            “ _[Name]~_ ” Dussu suddenly whined.

 

            I made a show of whipping out my phone and pressing it to my ear. Just to be safe I even stepped a little bit away from the group, “What is it, Duusu?”

 

            I couldn’t even be mad at her outburst. She’d restrained herself remarkably well considering the proximity of a flashing camera, “When are we going to Master Fu’s? I want to take pictures, too!”

 

            I grimaced and shifted uncomfortably, wincing even as I started to ask, “Can’t we do that tomorr--”

 

            “ _You promised_!” She all but howled.

 

            I turned my head away from the sound, not that it would do me any good with her nestled in my hair, and sighed dejectedly, “Fine. Fine…Let me just grab the camera first…”

 

            I turned back to my classmates and clutched my phone tightly in my hand. They could tell from my expression that something was wrong though I’d bet my PS4 they assumed it was from the “phone call” I’d just had.

 

            “Uh-oh. Lemme guess: you gotta go?”

 

            I smiled ruefully at Alya and nodded. Vincent held out my camera without any prompting from me and I smiled gratefully. I really didn’t want to go but I doubted Duusu would make it easy for me to stay, “Sorry, guys. I’ll send you the pictures though.”

 

             “No problem. You saved my number, right?” the brunette asked and held up her phone for emphasis.

 

            “Yeah, I got it. I think I have just about everyone’s numbers but just in case I miss someone, you’ll send it to them, right?” I said as I started to walk away while simultaneously tucking the camera away safely.

 

            “Sure, don’t sweat it!” Alya winked with a grin. I smiled and started to run off. If the time was right and if I remembered correctly, there was a bus getting ready to roll by. I didn’t want to miss it. I might have transformed into Paonne Blue but we’d already used enough magic fighting Reflekta. I wanted to wait a couple hours. I didn’t like to overwork Duusu if I could help it. It made me feel bad for one and for another, she became unbearably fussy.

 

            “Oh, hey, wait!” Adrien called and reached out to me. I’d moved largely out of his range by then but the tips of his fingers still managed to brush against my arm. My eyebrows twitched at the unfamiliar touch but I decided not to react to it beyond the obvious. “You might as well take mine since I’m already here.”

 

            “Ah…” My eyes immediately flicked behind him to gauge Marinette’s reaction. She met my eyes and tried to smile but I could see the tension pulling at her eyebrows. She was jealous.

 

             I hesitated.

             Just because I didn’t really care too much about Adrien or her crush on him didn’t mean I had to purposefully antagonize her. I didn’t know her very well but I could honestly say I liked what I’d seen of her so far and would hate to ruin such a new friendship over a boy. Still, wasn’t that the same thing Adrien had expressed wanting from me? It wasn’t like we were flirting or anything. He just wanted a friend and to be included in friend things like receiving pictures from a friend on his cell. Besides I’d already gotten his gamertag so what was a phone number, really? Why was I even stressing over this? It was stupid, “Sure. Make it fast. I really do havta go.”

 

             He whipped out an IPhone (a really nice one, too. Probably just came out) and held it out to me. I grinned a little and poked out the tip of my tongue as I tapped away. I put in my number and then my name with a school, camera with flash, and smiley with sunglasses emoji next to it before handing it back. He laughed when his eyes saw it but made no move to change it. I grinned and turned away for real this time, “See you guys, Monday! Thanks, Mr. Photographer!”

 

            They waved at my retreating form.

 

            It didn’t hit me until I got on the bus that I’d just given my number to a celebrity. How cool was that?


	12. The Midday Blues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, all my lovely readers, reviewers, subscribers, and kudo-leavers! So sorry it took so long to get this one out but thank you for waiting so patiently! <3
> 
> This is not really my favorite chapter and it was supposed to go in an entirely different direction but I couldn't get it to flow without sounding like a huge information dump so I decided to quit while I was ahead. Good news though! Because I had to slice a little from this one, the next chapter is already in the works and there will be a nice bit of Adrien/Chat Noir interaction going on there so! There's that! Enjoy!

            Duusu was being difficult again.

            It wasn’t terribly unexpected all things considered but I thought that I’d at least get a reprieve for doing what she wanted. I should have known I would have instead released a beast.

 

            “Duusu, sweetie,” I began in my most angelic, most persuasive, most patient of all voices. The little Kwami trilled distractedly as she wiggled her little tail plumes for the camera. I refrained from taking the picture. “You realize I only took _one_ picture with my class.”

 

            “So?”

 

            “Well,” I said and flicked through the identification numbers in the corners of each picture. “We’re going on fourteen.”

 

            “So?” She repeated as if I had pointed out something foolish and uninteresting.

 

            I pursed my lips, “So I’m _pretty_ sure we’ve done enough. I’ve kept my end of the bargain.”

 

            “…Technically you took two.”

 

            “ _So_?” It was my turn to delve into incredulity. “That means you’re owed seven times as many? I don’t think so!”

 

           “Seven’s a lucky number! That’s why there’s seven miraculi. Did you know that?” She answered conversationally. I squinted my eyes and shook my head at her. Wayzz giggled behind his little forelimbs.

 

            “Either way, you’re already at fourteen. You’re done even by your rules.”

 

            “Oh, relax a little, Paonne.” I cut my eyes at Master Fu who only smiled indulgently.

 

            “Let Duusu have her fun,” Wayzz added when he perceived that I would _not_ give heed to his bearer’s advice. “You can’t keep the pictures anyway.”

 

            “No, Wayzz! Shhh!” I hissed half-way through his sentence when I realized what direction it was going in but to no avail.

            Duusu had heard.

            Her little gasp—resonating from so deep in her tiny chest that it almost made her cough—rent the air. Wayzz winced and flitted over to Master Fu where he then curled in on himself apologetically. I sighed and braced myself for the inevitable explosion. Duusu did not disappoint.

 

            “ ** _Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!_** ” She cried, complete with the impossible waterworks. It startled Master Fu the most. No doubt he had not expected such a resonating sound from such a tiny creature.

            He cast an anxious glance towards his doorway and then to me.

            I could sympathize. I saw myself in Master Fu when I first met Duusu, before I learned all her quirks and idiosyncrasies. It was hard work.

            It’s been a while since Duusu had a real falling out. I’d been doing good with no major blowouts for almost five months. Until now of course.

            The magnitude was certainly shocking—even more so for someone who was not used to such behavior. She jerked about the room like one of those bumpercar rides at amusement parks--unable to decide if she wanted to pour all her pent up energy into moving or simply screaming. There was a slight reprieve whenever she was in motion though my ears were pierced through with knives whenever she stopped. It was horrifying; not in the least because a person might have really thought you’d tried to kill the poor thing but also because she was very obviously, _very genuinely_ distressed and there was no way to soothe her. 

            So I regarded Master Fu indifferently and turned away from the room. It was his fault after all. He should have known it wouldn’t be a good idea to tell _Duusu_ of all beings that all her efforts to look good were for naught. And there was no reasoning with the little peacock when she was like this anyway. Catering to her fallouts only made them last longer. She was like a child that way. It was best to just wait it out.

           Of course she came to me first. She had to try even if she knew it was futile. She flitted into my face and screeched, “ ** _Why?!?_** ” in the most heart-wrenching tone.

            I wasn’t unaffected. It’d be impossible not to be. I felt _terrible_. But I knew it would pass once she’d gotten it out of her system…hopefully. So I remained calm and hardened my heart against her until then.

           Wayzz was less inclined to panic when his turn came. Naturally considering he’s likely dealt with Duusu’s tantrums for millennia. It’s been a while, though. That much was obvious from his initial stricken expression but it smoothed soon and he too settled in for the long haul.

            Master Fu would have surely been the weakest link if he’d stayed. As it was, he’d gone out to the other occupants of the building in an attempt to quell the interest Duusu’s noise had surely stirred up.

            He wasn’t very successful from the looks of it.

            Usually Master Fu moved slowly—not necessarily prudently he was just seemingly perpetually unruffled. His hands when they weren’t moving rested either low on his front or high on his back. The faintest smile. The loose brows.

            He was wringing his hands aimlessly now; posture rigid as he strode purposefully back through the doorway. His countenance was tense—so much so that I was speaking even before he finished calling out my alter ego’s name, “You don’t have to ask, Master Fu.”

 

           “Duusu, that’s enough. Time’s up,” I said even though I knew there was no chance I’d be heard. It was still worth a shot though. I never liked to overpower Duusu without first giving her a chance to straighten out.

            When she continued to shriek I cut her off by absorbing her into the Miraculous. I’d planned on taking off the hair clip altogether. It’s what I usually did in situations like this. Trouble is, I was feeling a little vindictive.  I mean, why should I punish Duusu for Master Fu’s and Wayzz’ mistake? Surely they knew her even longer than I did. Why did they think it was a good idea to say something like that? Sure, we all knew photographic evidence of the Kwamis’ existence couldn’t be. It was too risky. But why couldn’t they just shut up and let _me_ deal with it? It was easy to lie—to say I’d accidently deleted her pictures or lost them on my drive or couldn’t find them or _something_. Now, _I_ had to deal with the aftermath. Set off a bomb and then toss it into my hands because they don’t like the outcome. Fucking shit.

            I grimaced when the transformation was complete. The pinprickling sensation didn’t recede as it usually does and I was feeling distinctively… _off_. Master Fu noticed as much and touched my arm sympathetically even as he almost frantically ushered me to the window, “You have to go. The longer you use Duusu’s powers against her will, the worse you will feel. You need to change back before it’s too late.”

 

            Now that was new information. “Too late?” I parroted even as I willingly submitted to his pushiness. “Too late meaning what?”

 

            “Best case scenario, you will revert back to your normal form with only minor aches and pains. Worst case? Duusu’s spirit consumes your body and destroys it.”

 

            “Ahgrberaheh—” I gurgled as my brain froze. My heart started pumping a mile a minute as dread gripped my stomach. My limbs threatened to lock up in shock but that would have been rather counterproductive considering so I pushed through it and climbed through the window.

 

            “We’re going to talk about this,” I swore as I rose into the air. It was harder than usual. I felt heavier. I felt myself actually falling for a moment and while it was only a moment--I was quick to compensate--it still left me feeling quite shaken. I’d never fallen as Paonne Blue before. Never been without that intangible net, that solid grip, over my magic that awarded me absolute confidence in my endeavors. Now, as I struggled against gravity’s pull so hard that my muscles were complaining, I couldn’t help but feel worried.

            ‘How late was too late?’ I wondered as I took off amidst full-body twangs of almost-pain. I didn’t even hear Master Fu’s parting words, I was so anxious to beat the clock. 

            Obviously the most logical course of action would be to reverse the transformation. I couldn’t stay like this with Duusu as upset as she was. Still, if I did give up Paonne Blue, the little Kwami would just be free to scream again and I couldn’t risk that either. I suppose I could just rip off my hair clip like I’d considered in the beginning…But I was still unwilling to punish Duusu for someone else’s mistake and I _really_ didn’t want to be caught with my Miraculous off. Not with Hawkmoth around. I couldn’t afford it.

            What I needed was a compromise; a place where I could wait out Duusu’s tantrum without drawing any eyes and ears. Without having to take her off. Without having to be vulnerable.

            Naturally there weren’t any places like that in Paris. The closest I’d get was Goussainville. It wasn’t _entirely_ deserted but the ‘natural’ ambience of the area would certainly drone out the worst of Duusu’s blowout.

 

             “ _Slick ‘em down_ ,” I sighed and with a blazing turquoise flash, Paonne Blue was ripped away from me like a stubborn bandage. I was so busy cringing at the fire pulsing over my nerve endings I barely registered Duusu’s crying. When the searing receded to more of an annoying tingle, I chanced a glance around.

            It was as eerie as I remembered: Weather-worn skeletal buildings standing by, hopelessly waiting for a population of people that would never return; covered in moss and grass and weeds and dirt; spiderwebs and cobwebs and tiny flying bugs and hidden chattering insects…I half expected to see a ghost or something drift through the unhinged doorways of some of these houses. Or maybe a face would suddenly appear in a blackened bedroom window? At least I imagined they were homes once. They could’ve also been storefronts. It was kind of hard to be sure without any distinctive furnishings or markings. Thieves had probably long since torn through the ruins and scavenged through the leftovers. I was neither brave nor curious enough to check though. And it was odd because as dilapidated and spooky as this place was, it was also strangely attractive.

            I could see it, these neglected buildings covered in grayscale to make one feel nostalgic and sad over time’s passage. Or maybe a yellow filter and when the film came out, tussle up and burn the edges to make it look like it came from an old warzone or something. Or maybe blue? I don’t know what that might represent but it would still look cool. Midnight maybe?

            And just like that I was distracted. My camera came out and Duusu’s predicament was little more than background noise. I supposed it was a little insensitive of me but it was Duusu’s overreacting what dragged me out in the middle of nowhere in the first place. At the very least I deserved a little fun if she was going to cause these kinds of situations. Well, _technically_ it wasn’t just her but whatever…

 

            “[Name]…” Duusu called in a waterlogged voice some time later. I was busy scrutinizing a flowering weed. It’d managed to sink its roots deeply into a slab of rectangular stone tossed to the ground. Somehow seeing it reminded me of how powerful even the most helpless of things could be if given time and a chance. It would probably look amazing if I sucked the color away from everything but the bloom.

 

            “Yes?” I responded after I’d gotten a workable shot. I wasn’t foolish enough to believe she actually wanted anything of substance. Surely this was just another tactic to drag me into a false sense of security. Afterwards she would just lower the _boom_ …

 

            “Why can’t we keep the pictures? I worked so hard to get each and every single one of them absolutely _perfect--_ ”

 

            “I know--” I interrupted. I didn’t need the context of the situation after all when I’d been directly involved. I couldn’t count how many meticulous photos I’d taken only for her to review them and cast them into the abyss over and over and over again until she found the _one_ …only to start the whole process over when she wanted a memento of a different pose. “But you’re not supposed to be seen by normal humans. You’re the one who told me that, remember? Not that that wasn’t common sense but still…The best way to be careful is not to tempt fate needlessly. What would we do if someone got hold of the camera?”

 

           “I think they’d be more interested in selling the camera than what was on it.”

 

            I pursed my lips at her cheekiness, “Either way, I’m not budging on this so you might as well get it out of your system now.”

 

            “We can’t even put them somewhere where no one will see them?”

 

            I snorted derisively, “And where is that?”

 

            “A diary!” She supplied after a moment’s consideration.

 

            I stared at her blankly for a moment, praying to no avail that she _wasn’t_ serious, “…Okay…So, I don’t know how you missed this little detail in all the years you’ve been on this earth but I’ll let you in on a little secret.” I laced my fingers together and held them under my chin in a mockery of cherubic innocence. “ _No one hides things they don’t want people to find in their diaries_.”

 

            She cocked her little head to the side, confusion temporarily overriding her distress, “Really?”

 

            “Yeah. It’s too tempting and everyone looks for them. Seriously. Anyone having a problem being heard should just write down everything they want everyone to know in one and ‘accidently’ leave it for someone to find.”

 

            “That’s so strange!” She trilled. “A lot of my old partners wrote in them all the time.”

 

            “Then they were idiots." I cackled and flapped my hand irreverently through the air. “The only people who believe in a diary’s ability to keep a secret are those stupid high school girls in tacky preteen family dramas. Get real.”

 

            “But _you_ keep a journal,” she pointed out, narrowing her eyes in a way that made her look like she was furrowing her brows.

 

            “And?” I countered as I turned towards the sun to catch a building cast in deepest shadow. “Sometimes I do things I want to remember when I’m old and wrinkly. Doesn’t mean I’m going to write any earth-shattering secrets.”

 

            Duusu pouted when she realized she was losing the argument, “Then what about your locker?”

 

            “That’s even worse than a diary. C’mon, Duusu,” I sighed.

 

            “A briefcase then! Your parents have one that has a combination lock and everything!”

 

            “Those are super expensive. They’re not going to let me just take one. And what will I tell them it’s for anyway? Too suspicious,” I dismissed. There really was no point in entertaining this conversation but if it helped her get over the rejection I suppose I’d keep going.

 

            “What if you stored them in a virtual one?”

 

            I wrinkled my nose, not quite understanding what she meant right off the bat, “…You mean like Dropbox? Cloud? Don’t people break into those every other week?” I wasn’t an important enough target to be sure but still: it helped my argument. Her eyes started watering again. I turned away and adjusted the lens on my camera.

 

            “What if you called me something else?!” I sighed long-sufferingly. “What if you call me a stuffed animal or something?”

 

            “…A stuffed animal whose expression changes and manages to float in midair.”

 

            “You’re good with altering photos! People would believe it.”

 

            “They’d also think I was crazy as fuck. How many people photoshop  _dolls_?”

 

            “Which is why you would feel the need to hide it! It’s perfect!” She trilled. I smiled a little. At least she was starting to feel better. And it only took two and a half hours…

 

            “So I’d have to look like a loonytoon for you to feel good about yourself? That’s messed up.”

 

            The blue Kwami wilted at the accusation, little tail and hair plumes sagging like wet fur, “That’s not it at all!”

 

            “No?” I challenged.

 

            “I swear!” Her eyes were huge, sparkling and glinting and generally hoping to captivate my heart through sheer cuteness…It might have worked if I wasn’t expecting such a tactic. It was a good one though and even I had to close my eyes to make sure I could get the words out, “The answer’s still ‘no’.”

 

             And of course she started to cry. Thankfully though it wasn’t nearly as traumatic as before. There were no sporadic spastic bouts of motion or earsplitting subharmonics. She was just being her usual fussy and bratty self and that was okay, “You can keep this up for as long as you want. I have nowhere to be and no one’s around so go ahead.”

 

            To prove my point, I found a lump of concrete that used to be part of a music store’s window frame (I think) and sat down. My very soul protested against the grime and dirt but at the end of the day it was just a dress. I could always wash it out later. That’s what I told myself anyway as I started to sit.

 

            “[Name]! _What are you doing_?!”

 

            I quirked a brow at her stricken expression, “Waiting for you to get over yourself.” She didn’t hear me. Was the question rhetorical?

 

            “You’re going to ruin your clothes! Stop!” She demanded as she fluttered anxiously around my person. “ _Please_!”

 

            I huffed and started to turn my head away before an idea came to me and I leered instead, “I won’t sit if you promise we can go home now. With no more crying and whining about these damn pictures.”

 

            She met my smug smile with a deep scowl. To be honest it was a little scary. It occurred to me then that I was willfully provoking a very old, very powerful spirit who, my brain helpfully supplied, apparently had the ability to destroy my body when she merged with me if she felt so inclined. Was this really in my best interest? Still, before I could second-guess myself too much, Duusu begrudgingly breathed, “Alright! You win!”

 

            The words were bitter in her mouth. This was probably one of the few times she hated herself for being so obsessed with appearances. I grinned, “Awesome ‘cuz I could use a bath. It’s been a long day.”

 

            “Ooh! Me, too!” She trilled and fluffed her sea-green feathers primly. And just like that the conflict was over and Duusu was back to normal. It was astounding. I mean, was it possible for someone to be so emotionally fickle? Maybe she knew from the beginning she wouldn’t get her way and all this was just a game? A twisted way of bonding maybe? Was she teasing me? I didn’t know. I didn’t think I ever truly would.

 


	13. Indigotic Midnight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goodness! This was not supposed to take so long! I suppose that's what happens when you were going to make this two chapters but then realize there's no reason to. Anyway, this chapter is long and while it was also fun to write--there's a lot of nice conversation to take part in so hopefully the wait wasn't for naught!--it was also exhausting! I won't go on hiatus because that's just not possible for me since I loooovvveee to write but fair warning that the next few chapters may not be _quite_ so impressive in their length! ;P Anyway! I've kept you waiting long enough! Please excuse those hidden typos from me. It's quite possible I was a little too excited to get this out after so long and I'm still writing from my phone which feels impossible most days until I look at this but enough from me though! On to the story!  >:)

            No one was home when I got there. I was grateful. It meant I could run around half-naked for a while. It might have also meant a free-roaming pass for Duusu, too, if she hadn’t opted to go straight to sleep. She usually did after bathing though so I wasn’t too surprised. It was a nice respite in any case. I planned to use the time wisely.  
            Which basically meant I was going to do whatever the hell I wanted without hearing anyone complain about it.  
            Naturally my priority was to send off the class photos but once I got started I found myself more interested in the photos of Goussainville.  
            One would think at first that it was the buildings I felt sorry for. They’re old. They’re ugly. They’re being torn apart by Mother Nature…and yet I couldn’t help feeling bad for the flowers forced to take root in such an inappropriate environment. I mean, it had to be absolutely wretched trying to suck nutrition out of a stone. They were so out of place—like an aimless dullard who’d yet to find their right fit in the world.  
            …Or a struggling mime who couldn’t land the right gig.  
            The idea swept over me like a burst of fog--unclear and intangible but there all the same. I could see it. The flower transforming into a downtrodden man. I could see someone else coming up and taking pity on the man-flower and carrying it away to be replanted in a better environment. It still didn’t make much sense in my head. It was so vague. I needed clarity. Someone to give me insight. Someone to bounce ideas off of. Someone to assure me I wasn’t reaching too far. I needed Mylène.  
            I unlocked my phone, intent on texting her or something about my burst of inspiration. A handful of messages from Alya distracted me.  
            My initial plan was to ignore them, thinking they were about her latest post to her blog. It wasn’t as interesting to me anymore. For one, the subject was Ladybug and while we’d called a minor truce a couple hours ago, I still didn’t like her enough to consciously follow her. And even if I did there was nothing more to learn. Either Alya wasn’t as good a reporter as she proclaimed (which I doubted judging from the quality of her pet project) or Ladybug and Chat Noir haven’t been around as long as I’d originally assumed. The number of victims were only in the single digits and while I didn’t exactly want people to be attacked, it didn’t exactly line up with Adrien’s estimate.  
            …Which I wouldn’t have placed any stock in at all if it wasn’t proving (at least for now) to be pretty legit. That being said, I doubted Alya’s blog could get me any insight on how to trip up Hawkmoth so there was really no use in entertaining her.  
            Except this time she wasn’t bothering me to advertise her blog. She was actually really excited about the class photos.  
            It got me thinking about Juleka. I hoped she didn’t relapse and think something had gone wrong with the camera since she’d finally managed a perfect shot. I should probably call her and let Alya handle the photos. The brunette distributed information as a hobby for Heaven’s sake. She’d be fine.  
            The hard part was uploading it off the camera and cleaning it up. Thankfully there hadn’t been a breeze. Otherwise I would have been stuck trying to cover up debris for most of the afternoon. The shade was a little stronger than I’d remembered though. I had to sharpen the edges and raise the contrast to make everyone’s hair pop like it should. I could have just brightened the entire thing but then it would have started to look dusty and that was the last thing I wanted. Though the grainy quality would probably add a nice touch to those ghost town buildings from before…  
            Focus. Alya. Mylène. Juleka. In that order.  
            I texted my art partner while I finished toying around with the class photos. I doubted she’d want to work on it today. I certainly didn’t. But hopefully tomorrow we could meet up and get some work done. While waiting for her to respond, I switched the photos over onto my phone and texted them to Alya. The better ones would have to be emailed. The modifications my phone had to make in order to send off pictures weren’t horrid. No one with an inexperienced eye would notice the imperfections at least but I really preferred to give my best when it came to my pride and joy.  
            With two girls scratched from the list, I turned my attention to the last and by far the most important.

            “ _Hello_ ,” Juleka said simply when she picked up the phone.

            “Hey. It’s me, [Name].”

            “ _...Yes, I know._ ” Her voice lilted a little with delicate amusement. “ _You're saved in my phone_.”

            I furrowed my brows and attempted to will away the resulting embarrassment, “Right. Caller ID. That thing. Forgot about it.”

            “ _It's okay. What's up?_ ” The raven prompted gently. It was like she knew I was nervous and was trying to make me feel better about it. I couldn’t figure out what I had to be nervous about though.

            “Nothing really. I just wanted to check on you since y’know…” God, that sounded lame. What the hell! There had to be a better way to ask how someone felt after they’d been possessed by an evil power-hungry wizard’s demonized familiars. And yet just thinking about that, there was no tactful way to say it. Maybe it was better I kept my sharp tongue behind my teeth then. I was bad at saying things with sensitivity anyway. “So! Are you okay?”

           “ _Oh, I'm fine. Everything was kind of fuzzy for a while but it's okay as long as I don't try too hard to fill in the blanks. I actually feel better than before I was..._ ”

            ‘ _Sucked into a bottomless pit of bubblegum-pink anguish and despair,'_  my brain automatically supplied. Naturally that wouldn’t fly so I fished around for a term.

             “Akumatized,” I recited. It didn’t sound quite right. It didn’t capture the situation for me but I couldn’t think of another word all the same. Recruited? No, that sounded too voluntary. Coerced? Better but it totally took away the transformation aspect of it. Drafted, maybe? Nah. Whatever. I’d find one eventually.

            “ _Yeah that._.” She sighed lightly.

            “That was probably Ladybug’s doing,” I mused neutrally. It annoyed me to admit such a thing but still. “I’m glad you’re okay. You were pretty vicious as Reflekta.”

            “ _I can tell. When I came back from the radio station everyone at school was looking at me as if they were seeing me for the first time._ ”

            I smiled, “Well for a lot of people that probably _was_  the first time. You’re very quiet, Juleka.”

            “ _Yeah..._ ” She seemed to retreat into her thoughts. I left her there for a while, firing up my favorite playbox until she spoke again. “ _I don't know...I mean, I don't really want to be popular or anything but if I had to be, I wouldn't want it to be for what I turned into. That wasn't who I really am._ ”

            I tilted my head to the side, “What do you mean?”

            “ _...I guess I just don't want people to be afraid of me._ ”

            “They’re not afraid of you, Juleka. I think they’re afraid of what you became. Think about it. You became a supervillain. A girl they sit next to everyday just suddenly gets sent out on an unstoppable rampage that they can’t even remember later. Who’s to say it won’t happen to them? And what hope do we have if Hawkmoth can do that to even someone as sweet as you? Change literally everything about you so completely, based off of just one thing, and suddenly you’re not even yourself anymore… _That's_  scary.”

            “ _...Were_ you  _afraid?_ ”

            I glowered deeply at the question. Sure it made me uncomfortable which was probably why she hesitated to ask but more than that it made me angry, “Terrified. Mostly because I couldn’t do anything to help you.” And that really was the worst of it. That no matter how hard I tried Paonne Blue could never save people in that way. Couldn’t do the job she was made for. I was useless and I hated myself for it.

            “ _Was I really that bad?_ ”

            “Mm,” I intoned. It was hard trying to remember the fight in a way that wouldn’t make me seem too knowledgeable. I was supposed to be a bystander. I was supposed to have run away when Paonne Blue ordered it. “You could have been much worse. I mean, you were fast and very smart. You didn’t really give any room either. I mean, you pinned down all three superheroes down at some point. Took out one, almost took down a second, too…You were too focused on Chloé though. Though I can’t blame you.”

            “ _She made me mad,_ ” Juleka admitted in a small dark voice. My eyebrows rose in surprised amusement.

           “Me, too.” Then I burst out laughing. “I was so mad at what she’d done to you that Chat Noir thought I was you—or Reflekta but yeah.”

            She made a small confused sound in her throat, “ _How would he know who you are well enough to think you were me?_ ”

            My lips parted almost immediately, ready to answer as usual, only no words came out.  
            It hadn’t seemed so strange to me at the time—maybe because I was too busy trying not to lose to Reflekta but Juleka had a point. It didn't make sense for him to know our names. There were hundreds of students in Dupont. Neither me nor Juleka were popular enough for a superhero to know who we are. Even then, I was away when Chat Noir first appeared. Even if he were familiar with Juleka, I wouldn’t be on his radar. Surely that means I know this person? Or at the very least he knows me because I doubted I’d forget someone like him.  
            My brows furrowed as a pounding headache started up in the front of my brain…“Maybe he asked around?”

            Yeah that made a bit more sense. I’d ‘disappeared’ by the time Reflekta showed up. We’d ended up yelling the same things, too. It wasn’t a far stretch and there were people around who could have said my name…

            “But yeah, you were definitely not yourself. You even said you hated Bijoux,” I quipped to steer the conversation even further away. It seemed the right thing to do. My brain thanked me for it in any case.

            Juleka’s gasp, as soft as a butterfly’s wings, still managed to convey her mortification with the news, “ _Really?_ ”

            I tilted my head from side to side and grinned, “Well technically you said you hated cats in general when you got Chat Noir but Bijoux was clearly your basis.”

            “ _But I love Bijoux! ...Even if he is a little skittish_.” I scoffed before I could stop myself.

            “Your cat’s weird as fu-reak,” I stressed when I heard the front door open. Better my parents didn’t hear that word leave my lips…

            “[Name]? Aurelie? Where are you, baby girls?”

            My lips quirked despite the exasperation her words caused, “I’m here, Mama. Sister Dear is still out…”

            “Well, _I'm_ back but where is your sister?” Clearly she’d only heard half of what I said. I didn’t much like repeating myself but it couldn’t be helped.

            “Dunno,” I responded with pursed lips. I should have cared more considering the recent dangers of the day but it wasn’t like I hadn’t already dealt with them. Besides, she was a monster in her own right. Who would mess with her? “Wherever she is, she’s fine or she would have been blowing up my phone.”

            “ _That's your mom?_ ” Juleka said cautiously in case her interruption wasn’t welcome.

            “Yeah,” I mumbled absently. I was distracted by my consol. I instinctively flicked over my friends’ tab just to see who was online. There weren’t many. A couple were busy with Assassin’s Creed, another tearing through Call of Duty, and one straggler dabbling in Fable...That would change by midnight of course when more people were free to play but for now I was alone in my desire to play Minecraft.

            “ _Ask her about Disneyland for Halloween!_ ”

            “Oooh, you’re right!” To be honest I forgot about it. “Hey, Mom! Can I go to Euro-Disney for Halloween with Juleka?”

            “Uh…Let me think about it, [Name],” she called back. She sounded distracted but I wasn’t going to give in so easily.

            I leapt up from my desk and swept through the small house, “What’s there to think about? You let Aurelie go out all the time!”

            “Aurelie is older than you,” she pointed out simply. I scowled. That was the default excuse they used whenever they wanted to keep me from doing the same things they secretly hated allowing my sister to do.

            “By two years! Barely!” I challenged as I usually did whenever they used that dumb excuse. I followed the direction I heard her voice coming from and pulled up short when I saw her gasping and grunting quietly in the dining room just off the entryway.

            A huge mattress—mine if that tiny stain from when I first discovered my period was anything to go by—was propped up against the wall. My mother was slumped beside it, sweating and tired but doggedly pushing against it from behind. I moved forward without even thinking about it, “Mama! Why’d you try to do this by yourself?”

            “Oh, it’s not that heavy. It’s only because I’m almost done that it seems so hard.”

            “You drove all the way to our old house to get this by yourself?”

            “Well, your father wasn’t going to do it and you couldn’t keep sleeping on the floor. What else was I going to do?”

            “I don’t know—wait until tomorrow? Or at least until I got home so I could help you?!”

            “Well you’re here now so--”

            I sighed heavily and bade Juleka adieu. I hated spontaneous heavy lifting but I wasn’t going to let her do it alone either.

            It was an irritating process, trying to make space in my room to move in a bedframe, a box spring, and a mattress. I wish I’d held off on unpacking a little longer since this whole thing just doubled my work. Unloading the rest off the car was a totally different kind of challenge that really shouldn’t have worked out as well as it did with only two people. It made me wonder how my mom managed it alone.  
When it was finally over with, we both collapsed against the sides of the bed. I wouldn’t let her on it with both of us so ridiculously sticky and nasty.

            “Ugh…Now I need another bath…” I complained.

            My mother giggled and pulled me to her with one arm, “Aww, well, thank you for sacrificing your cleanliness for me!”

            “Yeah, uh huh. You know how you can properly thank me?”

            Her mouth coiled knowingly, “I’m listening.”

            “Disneyland. Halloween. Can I go?”

            “Well~…I suppose~--”

            “Yes! Awesome! Thank you! Love you!” I leapt to my feet and pumped my fist in the air in a rare show of exuberance. “Now get out so I can take another shower.”

            She let out a long drawn-out sigh as she rose to her feet and sashayed sluggishly from the room, “Fine, fine, but don’t take forever. I need to get in there, too.”

            “Then you go first,” I said. “I don’t want to be rushed.”

            “Aww, well aren’t you a sweetie.”

            I couldn’t tell if she was being sarcastic or not. I didn’t really care. I was excited to give Juleka the news. I snatched up my discarded phone after a bit of searching, intent on doing just that only to pause. There on the home screen were more text message notifications than I’d ever seen at one time (barring holidays of course wherein people you never talked to and indeed almost forgot existed seemed to sprout up from the woodwork).  
            It made me nervous to be honest. Sure, I could guess what they were about but I was decidedly more pessimistic in mind. My thoughts shifted away from more good things like the class photos and the proposed play in Miss Bustier’s class to a crisis of some sort, maybe something with Chloé...?  
            But no. It was just a bunch of messages from my classmates reminiscing about their respective days. It started with simple thanks for the photos from those closest to Juleka. Those who were more neutral merely commented on their quality or their own appearance in the shots. Alya, of course, could not contain her obsession for long however and pretty soon she’d steered the conversation to Ladybug and Reflekta and her blog and I lost interest without ever responding once. I wasn’t one for group chatting.  
            The notifications' jingle continued to bling virtually nonstop for a time. I ignored it in favor of my game. Of course, in sitting idle for the length of time it took us to rearrange my room, the system turned off. I went through the process of starting it back up. I even rechecked my friend’s tab though precious little had changed. I resigned myself to a solitary excursion racing through Hell, scouring mountains, and mining bottomless pits in the pursuit of The End as I dodged skeleton arrows, icky potions, and the undead ghouls bent on my eradication.  
            In my pursuit I found myself remembering Adrien and in my defense, it had little to do with the boy himself. It was more a product of my aimless line of thought: the scariest monster to go up against in Minecraft was the Enderman and I’d unconsciously been considering how I’d snag a pearl from one without totally ruining myself in the process; Naturally, that sprouted memories of what I’d told Juleka I’d consider for Halloween--a conversation the model had been present for.

            I was pretty sure he wasn’t coming with us to Euro-Disney. I mean, he’d seemed to want to but I don’t remember him saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’. I should probably let him know it was still a viable plan in any case. We had included him after all.  
            Trouble was I’d given him my number, not the other way around. He hadn’t texted me yet either and if he did so in the group chat, well there was no way I was going to be able to pick his number out of the bunch.  
            But I did have his gamertag.  
            Hmm.  
            Backpedaling a little, I went to my social tab and found the magnifying glass. Typing in ‘ _UnderAgreste_ ’ pulled up a user with considerable gaming skills if his achievement points were any indication. I pursed my lips critically as I hovered over the ‘ _Add Friend_ ’ button.  
            Clearly this boy was a very serious gamer. Members of his tier were usually unbearably narcissistic, condescending, short-tempered, idiotic, chauvinistic clods. They were largely the reason I rarely played online as a proud gamergirl. The few times I did were usually when I was having a particularly spectacular gaming session worthy of shattering their fragile little egos. Otherwise, I left sleeping dogs to lie and went about my business with all-girl groups or the mixed ones with more casual gamers. Casuals weren’t as goal-oriented as I would like but it was better than being hurled slurs every two seconds.  
            I had a good feeling about Adrien, though. He seemed a bit too innocent to have learned how to behave like a savage. And what was the worst that could happen? I give him a chance and he blows it? Well then that was that. It wasn’t like he was anything important to me worth losing my cool over.

            I hurriedly pressed the fate-sealing button before my racing heart could convince me it was a completely idiotic move.  
            I still felt a little bit like it was.  
            What if I’d gotten the name wrong somehow when I typed it in? What if that wasn’t really Adrien I’d just added but a complete psycho due to a typo? Did I look too eager? After all, he had my number. He would have reached out to me if he wanted to talk. Why should I bother him here, too?

            It felt like the world should stop spinning and all eyes should turn to me accusingly for daring to do such a thing. Marinette certainly looked as if she felt like it should when I’d left all those hours ago. And yet nothing happened. A pending box showed up in place and stayed there for the ten seconds I bothered to continue watching it like a hawk. That seemed to be long enough for my nerves to stand down enough to allow me to return to my game.

            Some time later a black bar stretched under the bottom of my screen. It was a notification that Adrien had accepted my request and even sent a message.

            “Oh, God,” I bemoaned, leaving myself wide-open to the creeper attack that subsequentially tossed me sky high and sent me hurtling to my death at the bottom of a cliff. I couldn’t care less though as the tag blinked a moment longer, prompting me for the correct button to push if I wanted to respond before shrinking back into inexistence when I remained idle.  
            My heart fluttered in a way that left me feeling lightheaded. My palms suddenly felt too warm against the thick plastic of my controller.  
             I knew it was dumb to get so worked up over a single person. I really did feel like an idiot for it. But emotions aside, I had no need for the drama that came with engaging a celebrity. I’d never had the chance before now but I’d read enough gossip rags to know to proceed with extreme caution.  
            It was different at school where there were a thousand other distractions to put a buffer on our interactions. Most of our conversations, if there were time for them at all, were about school work or teachers or random tidbits of idle conversation no one bothered to remember five minutes later. This shouldn’t be any different except Adrien was a famous person and any sort of one-on-one interaction with him would surely raise flags with the general population.  
            Of course, the masses weren’t the ones who worried me. It was the two superfans lumped in the same class as me: Marinette and Chloé. The former had been offended just because the blond decided to talk to me instead of her. And Chloé was his best friend since who-knows-when which was really more than reason enough to stay away on its own.

            I didn’t trust myself not to say something that wouldn’t put him in a funk that either of them wouldn’t notice either. It was possible that he’d confide in his fellow blonde wherein she would then disclose to the entire class what’d I’d done with the most horrible embellishments she could manage because she’s that type and Marinette would then get involved and—ugh. Drama.  
            Granted I should have thought of all this from the very beginning if I was going to give him the cold shoulder now. And why should I anyway? It wasn’t _his_  fault they obsessed over him. He shouldn’t be forced to go around friendless just because people were idiots. And I wasn’t fainthearted. I could handle a couple of entitled brats.

            I boldly switched over to see what he’d written and found a short voice message instead of words. Fancy.

            “ _Hi! I was hoping you'd add me soon._ ”

            It was strange to hear his voice isolated from his body. I didn’t usually pay much attention to it. I didn’t need to and we didn’t speak enough for me to be familiar with it either. I should have known it’d be just as angelic as his physical appearance.

            He spoke quickly.

            It seemed to me that he was either distracted or nervous. I dismissed the latter despite it being a real possibility given what I’d seen of his personality.

            ‘ _Good afternoon, Officer. How may I help you today?_ ’ I tapped back as quickly as the dysfunctional on-screen keyboard would allow. Once it sent I went back to my game. He replied before I could really get back into it so I ignored him for a time until a second notification reminded me that I’d done so.

            ‘ _T_T_ ’

            I just barely kept myself from laughing out loud. The second was another audial message that said, “ _Do you have a mic?_ ”

            ‘ _Used to. Got rid of it._ ’

            “ _Why?"_

            I sighed as I regarded the screen scornfully. It was such a simple question but the answer was so complicated. Did he even care to know the real reason or was he just frustrated with the way things were going? I mean, it would take forever for us to talk this way and it was annoying but there was no way I was going to waste my time typing a real response if he was just being selfish.

            In the end, before I could even decide if I was going to delve into the nitty-gritty, another message showed up. “ _Answer your phone!_ ” He said followed by a text emoji: ' _>. <'_.

            I quirked an eyebrow at the demand—surprised that it came from the strangely formal blond and my own obedience to the very same. I chose not to dwell on it too much. If I did, I’d get angry and self-righteous and he didn’t deserve it. Not when he sounded so harmlessly, so hopelessly, so adorably excited.

            I wasn’t a normal teenager, though. I mean, all the ones I know couldn’t function without their phones in hand and here I was, searching for the damn thing because I’d carelessly chucked it aside after reading the group text messages. I usually forgot it existed. Duusu was certainly a factor. She was always playing on it, burning out the battery so that by the time I needed it, it wasn’t available. I couldn’t miss something I rarely got to use.

            Usually when I found a need for it, I just asked the little Kwami to hand it over but she was resting still.

            “Well, shit,” I murmured when I heard it start to sing from some invisible corner of my room. Taking up my controller, I sent him a heavily abbreviated, ‘I lost it. Keep calling.’ and resigned myself to tearing my room apart for the second time this afternoon.

            “What are you doing?” Duusu complained with a surprised chirp when I pulled at the fluffy sleeping bonnet she was tangled in.

            “I lost my phone,” I offered as she emerged from between the ruffled rim. The ensuing silence was telling. Even the Kwami couldn’t understand why such a thing mattered. I resigned myself to my fate moments before uttering, “Adrien’s trying to call me--”

            There was the briefest pause between her eyes widening in disbelief wherein I almost dared to hope I’d get off scott free. No such luck. The incredulity dispersed almost before it settled in and Duusu exploded, “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

            It didn’t stop. I didn’t try to make it.

            “[Name]?!”

            “Yeah, Mama!”

            The worry lining her tone fizzled away at my casual response, replaced by staunch irritation, “What is that?!” I started to lie and blame it on a videogame but she seemed content to draw her own conclusions and barked, “Turn it down! You’re going to ruin your ears! …And mine!”

            “Don’t I know it,” I sighed. The sound of my mother’s voice so near had startled Duusu into silence but it was only for a moment. She wasn’t quite so loud when she spoke again (if her first sound could count as anything intelligible) but the excitement was still undeniable, “Oh _wow_! He’s calling you! He’s calling _you_! _He's_  calling you—”

            “Geez, you say that like it’s some sort of supernatural phenomenon.”

            “Oh, I’m sorry, [Name]. I don’t mean to insult you. It’s just I didn’t expect this at all! I mean you’re not exactly model material--”

            My eyebrows rose and my mouth fell open in shock. Thank God I didn’t have a problem with my self-esteem because, “Wow~ Y’know that’s a level of brutality I didn't know you had.”

            Duusu huffed and ruffled her feathers irritably, “You know what I mean!”

           “I know that you want me to know what you mean.”

            “[Name]~!” She whined.

            “Relax, bluebird. I’m not angry. Yet. Help me find my phone and I’ll forgive you.”

            “Oooh!” She squealed and flipped over herself in midair. “You want to talk to him, too!”

            “Well, sure. I need to tell him about Halloween and it’s easier to say it out loud.” Her yellow eyes arched in confusion. I gestured to my TV screen in response. “And just for the record, he’s calling me not the other way around.”

            “Here!” She announced suddenly, having paid no attention to my words. Cradled in all four of her tiny limbs was the very thing I was looking for. It always seemed so tiny until I measured it against Duusu. I held out my hand.

            “It never ceases to amaze me how quickly you find this thing.”

            “You should take better care of it,” she replied instead with a twinkle in her yellow eyes. I pursed my lips but ignored her in favor of answering the phone.

            “Hello?”

            “Put him on speaker!” Duusu demanded angrily as if I’d done her a huge disservice. In a way, I suppose I had.

            When he responded, his voice easily filled our little section of the room, “ _Oh, good! You found it! I was starting to think Iwas dialing the wrong number._ ”

            “You think I would have given you a fake?”

           He didn’t seem to know quite how to respond to that, divulging into choppy half-explanations and random pronouns instead.  
My lips pulled up without my consent at his soft self-deprecating laughter. I thought I’d be more nervous speaking to him like this. The anxiety however was whisked away by his own casual poise, transferred instead to Duusu who promptly dropped from the air and buried herself into my tiny pile of stuffed animals. I’d assumed it was a poor attempt to disguise her exuberance but I could never be sure, “What is wrong with you?”

            “ _Oh! I, uh, I'm sorry--!_ ”

             “No, not you,” I said to Adrien. “I’m talking to my…pet bird…She’s, well, I can’t even really say she’s being strange since she’s usually a basket case…”

            “ _Is she sick? What kind of bird is it?_ ”

            I tilted my head and smiled at some vague inside joke flittering across the front of my brain. It would have been nice to share it but I did better off not drawing too much attention to Duusu. No matter how vague, these things tended to circle back around and bite you in the ass if you weren’t careful. “I didn’t know you were a vet,” I said instead to deter interest. “I’m impressed. It must make modeling kind of hard though, especially trying to balance it with school.”

            I imagine he made some kind of face because the silence would have been strange otherwise. I laughed to keep any awkwardness from settling in. I couldn’t tell if I’d offended him or not. I tried to tell myself I didn’t care if I had but there was only so much I could do.

            “ _I manage alright_ ,” he said simply.

            I hummed noncommittally. Maybe he was too stiff for jokes. Either way, we were drifting too far from the shallows too soon, too fast. I needed to get back on track. “So what’s up?”

            “ _Hmm?_ ”

            “What did you call me for?” I elaborated as I went about straightening up my room. There was no way I’d be able to focus on the game this way anyhow.

            “ _No reason. It's just easier to talk this way._ ”

            “Is it?” I drawled for lack of anything nice to say. I wanted to ask if there weren’t other people he couldn’t be talking to but it was kind of cool that he’d chosen me so I didn’t want to make him regret it.

            “ _Yeah. I'm playing a game and it's kind of hard to get into it when I'm switching back and forth like I was._ ”

            “No one told you to message me,” I reminded him. Just because I wanted him to talk to me didn’t mean I was going to let him lay any blame for his own decisions. “I was just adding you since I remembered your tag and I hadn’t already done it. I didn’t want to forget again.”

           He chuckled a little. I patted myself on the back for managing to not hurt his feelings when expressing my own. It was hard especially when I had to keep in mind that most people didn’t appreciate candor as much as I did, “ _Wa...'re ...ou doing?_ "

           The middle of his question slurred with some minor connectivity issues. I got the gist of it though and responded, “Cleaning my room. I destroyed it while looking for my phone. What are you playing?” I asked when I picked up the unmistakable sound of button-mashing.

            “ _Ultimate Mecha Strike II_.”

            I wrinkled my nose and gagged playfully, “Eww! C’mon, Adrien! You have to have better taste than that!”

            “ _What do you mean? It's a good game!_ ” He defended as passionately as he dared with a decidedly volatile stranger. I grinned, pleased at the happy undertones I heard in his voice even if we were about to get into a debate.

            “No, it’s trash and you know it.”

            “ _It's not_ trash _. It's just...not as good as the first one._ ”

            “Which was _also_  trash.”

            “ _Maybe you just don't like fighting games._ ”

            “Or maybe I just think the only cool fighting robots are ones that can transform.”

            “ _A new Mecha Strike is supposed to to be coming out soon_.”

            “And I’m pretty sure that one will suck, too.”

            He made a small sound in his throat. The kind people do when they don’t have the backbone to blatantly disagree but also aren’t quite soft enough to roll over and keep silent, “ _They say it'll combine all the good things from the first two games while ditching the rest that got on our nerves._ ”

            I giggled to myself and shook my head, “If they did that, they wouldn’t have a game at all!”

            “ _Well, you must own them if you know enough about them to call them trash._ ”

            I scoffed good-naturedly, “A lapse in judgement!”

            “ _Two times in a row?_ ” Came the unexpectedly coy response.

            “Hey. They did a good job marketing, okay?”

            And he laughed. I grinned, an unconscious happy warmth flooding my face, at the soft, attractive sound. It was too short in my opinion but I’d never say so out loud.

             "Oh! That's what I meant to tell you," I said suddenly, feigning an epiphany in order to move the conversation along. I wish I'd chosen something better. Somehow it struck me as too presumptuous, too demanding, too fangirly. As if I'd reached out to him for myself only. 

            Thankfully Adrien didn't seem to read quite so much into it or if he did, he was too polite to say, " _Oh? What is it?_ "

            "It's about Halloween--"

            " _[Name],_ " he began in a tone not unlike the ones adults use when trying to maintain patience with their children. It was so out of place coming from him. I felt myself bristling even before he finished. " _My father won't let me go_."

            "Did you even ask him?"

            " _I don't have to. I already know what he'll say._ " He explained. " _It's the same thing he_ always  _says..._ " 

            That last bit couldn't have been meant for my ears by the way he murmured it so quietly, so forlornly. I chose to pretend I hadn't heard it, "Then don't ask. Just come."

            "What?" Personally I didn't think the suggestion deserved quite so severe a reaction. It wasn't  _that_ crazy of an idea.

             "You  _did_ say you wanted to try new things, didn't you? Or did I confuse you with someone else?"

            " _...No...I said it...But I don't really want to get in trouble just for that either._ "

            I hummed my displeasure. He was right. The tag did make more sense, "So you always do what Daddy tells you."

            " _...No,_ " he admitted softly as if he'd just confessed to some heinous crime. " _Not_ always _but--_ "

            "Then what's the big deal?" An uncomfortable silence stretched on between us for a few beats. Was he upset I cut him off? Or maybe I was being too pushy? I winced and forced myself to reign it in a little. "Look: I'm not trying to pressure you or anything but this isn't even anything bad. It's just an amusement park. It's not like I'm asking you to help me rob a bank."

            "... _Are you going?_ " It took him a while to ask and even then I couldn't tell if I'd managed to persuade him or not. At least he didn't seem upset with me anymore. Was he really so forgiving? If so he was an idiot. It pleased me, though. I cracked a small grin that I knew he couldn't see and said,

            "Yeah. I just asked my mom and she gave me the okay."

            " _...Then I'll ask my dad, too,_ " he said with finality. " _He might be okay with it if I'm not going alone. If I go with someone from school._ "

            "Juleka's coming too if that'll help." There was strength in numbers even if Juleka was too timid to actually impose her will on anyone. 

            " _I hope it does. It'd be nice to go._ "

            "If all else fails, I'm telling you: just come and say you didn't!"

            This time he laughed. I took it as a win and didn't press it anything further. Seemingly like-minded, he changed the topic a little, " _Have you chosen a costume yet?_ "

            "No," I lamented. "I _thought_ I was going to do an Enderman since it's easy and I don't have a lot of time but it'll probably be too dark for anyone to see me."

            " _It's Disneyland, isn't it? Why not a princess?_ "

            "Please! They'll be enough of those there already! Besides, I don't _want_ to be cute on Halloween. I need to be something cool and a little scary."

            " _A witch!_ " He offered almost immediately. I wrinkled my nose.

            "Too clichè," I dismissed.

            " _A ghost?_ "

            "Even worse!" You couldn't get anymore basic if you tried.

            " _Okay then...How about a mummy?_ "

            "Really?" I sighed. 

            I could practically hear the shrug in his voice when he explained, " _I just thought of it because a new exhibit's supposed to be setting up in the Louvre._ " 

            "Oh. Well that's cool for them I guess but it's still a no."

            " _Do you_ have  _to dress up?_ "

            "You don't  _have_ to, no, but it's fun and pretty much the whole point of Halloween besides the candy and the spookiness." My lips curled mischievously. " _You_ could go as a prince, though. You've got the looks for it."

            " _Are there any princes with blond hair in the movies_?"          

            "Uh...," I trailed off uncertainly. "Y'know, I couldn't tell you. I'm usually looking at the girls since the stories' usually about them...which is strange since they don't usually do anything...Wait! Wasn't Sleeping Beauty's prince a blond?"

            " _I don't know. I never really watched them growing up._ "

            "Oh, right. And you're a boy so you probably wanted to be a ninja or something."

            " _...How about Sheik?_ "

            "From Zelda?" Initially I was skeptical. Not because Sheik wouldn't fit the bill but cosplay didn't really match the spirit of the holiday. But then it hit me like a ton of bricks and I all but exploded. "Hey! You could be Link and  _I_ could be Dark Link! Oooh! Or the Skullkid--aww but no. Those are both too dark not to mention that's a _lot_ of make-up."

            " _...I think I've had my fill of make overs for today..._ "

            My eyes widened and a giggle burst forth before I could catch myself, "Oh, I _know_!" It was funny now because it was over but Chat Noir as Reflekta really had been hysterical. "Were you there when Juleka hit? Did you see the fight?"

            " _Uh, bits and pieces. Everything was moving so fast. It was kind of hard to keep track of anything especially once I got zapped. I think Alya got some of it on her blog, though._ "

            It didn't surprise me that he'd gotten hit by Reflekta. It  _did_ surprise me that he took the time out to support his classmate as a famous person. It didn't fit all the images I had of celebrities, "You really follow her?"

              " _Yeah. I really like Ladybug and she's pretty much the only one who can always stay on her whenever she shows up._ "

            "That's weird, though, isn't it? I mean, I know she's dedicated but why wouldn't a news crew be able to get there before her?"

            " _I guess it's because so far almost all of the attacks have been at our school._ "

            "Really?" I thought back to what Juleka said even though my head flared irritably in response. So Dupont was a hot spot? "Why?"

            I wanted to smack myself. Of course  _Adrien_ wouldn't know. Besides the answer was painfully obvious. If Hawkmoth was hunting down Miraculi and the school was the main hunting ground, that could only mean that Ladybug and Chat Noir (or at the very least  _one_ of them) had to be students of the collége. 

            The headache intensified but I hardly noticed it at this point.

            This was bad. If Hawkmoth had sucessfully tracked them down this far...

             " _I'm not sure but I hope it stops soon._ "

            I flinched. I nearly forgot I was on the phone with another. It felt strange, trying to stay on his level when the dangers of this reality was so far out of his grasp, "Yeah, me too." I sounded too serious to my ears. I forced a bit more teen angst into my woes to conceal the smoke. "Or else my parents might reconsider coming back and make me go somewhere else."

            " _Mine, too_ ," he sighed, accompanied by the tell-tale squeak of a computer chair reclining. " _Good job on the pictures by the way. I'm pretty sure I said it in the group text but I figured I'd say it again to you personally just in case._ "

            "Awww, well thank you! It was Marinette's idea, though." I didn't know what compelled me to put in a good word for her. Honestly her crush was starting to rub me the wrong way and I really didn't think it best to get involved in it.

            All the same, there was no point in glossing over the genuinely good bits of her. If Adrien was dumb enough to value those over her stranger ones, that was his problem. 

            " _Yeah but we would have been stuck if you didn't offer up your camera. That's what everyone was saying._ "

            I shrugged, "We could have probably done them on somebody's phone but yeah..." I smiled when I realized I was being difficult (at Duusu's helpful prodding, naturally). "I'm glad I got to help out Juleka." It really was one of the brighter parts of my day. At least I could do that even if Paonne Blue was rather useless to my gothic friend. 

            " _I hope you don't mind I gave out your name. The photographer was asking about you._ "

            "..." I liked to have died. My heart literally skipped a beat and my lung size was suddenly too small. "Seriously? Are you--I mean! Did he--what did he say? What did he ask? What did _you_ say?"

            " _Honestly, a bunch of things I don't know the answers to. I'm sorry._ " That wasn't enough. Thankfully I didn't have to state the obvious. Adrien started wracking his mind on his own without any prompting from me. " _He wanted to know where you learned from. Like if you were taking classes or if you'd gone to an art school before or something. I didn't really know so I didn't say anything._ " 

           I pursed my lips in constirnation. Naturally I was disappointed. It would have been great to get in a good word. There  _was_ a silver lining to be found though, "It's fine. I guess I'd rather you say nothing than make up a bunch of lies."

            " _I wouldn't do that to you._ "

            I batted that aside, "All the same."

            It grew quiet between us again. This time it was rather comfortable so I didn't think much of it. Adrien didn't seem to care much for it though, " _...So, um, do you have any plans for the weekend?_ "

            "No, not really." I thought about mentioning my art project with Mylène but that wasn't his business. "Why? Do you?" I asked before I could remind myself of what a dumb question that was. The poor kid couldn't even celebrate a holiday. Why would his father let him out for a whole weekend?

            " _No_ ," he replied patiently, conversationally. 

            I grinned at my own embarassment. It faded quickly in light of his nonplused response, "I understand your username now."

            Once again he laughed. I quirked a brow curiously even as my lips curled up into a smirk. It would seem Adrien  _did_ indeed have a funny bone. It was just a little...cracked. His tastes weren't dry. Not exactly morbid, either. More like sarcastic if not downright deprecating. 

            It'd be more surprising given his disposition if he hadn't apparently grown up with people like Chloé. That alone guaranteed the boy would have a dark side. It was just a matter of how large and how dark.

            I wasn't awarded much time to consider this. He was talking again, " _You know, this is the first time I've ever actually had a real conversation over the phone._ "

            I considered that and tilted my head, "...Y'know, I was about to ask if you were serious but then I realized that's kinda the same for me, too."

            " _Really?_ "

            "Yeah. I mean, I guess I talked to Juleka but that was because I wanted to check on her as close to in person as I could get without leaving my house. I could have just as easily texted her and achieved the same thing but it just didn't feel personal enough...Maybe that's why people  _don't_ call anymore. It sort of forces you to connect with people on a personal level and we just don't really like to do that anymore." 

            " _You think so?_ "

           "Oh, yes. Humans are terribly selfish creatures...anything that forces them to think about anything but themselves is usually tossed aside once it stops being practical." 

            " _..._ " I wondered absently if maybe I'd said too much. I had that tendency and he seemed the type to believe in the ficticious goodness of people. Maybe this would go right over his head. Maybe I should find something lighter to talk about. Just as I was browsing through my limited collection of conversation starters, he said, " _But texting takes longer than just saying it out loud._ "

            "Oh, yeah, people don't care about that. They're idiots."

            He giggled--actually giggled. It was short and quiet but my eyes widened and my heart fluttered at how freaking  _adorable_ it was, " _Then what they say about ignorance and bliss must be true._ "

            "Yeah...I feel like some dumbass got into a fight with a smart person and just said that to make himself feel better about losing." He giggled again--a little louder this time--and I felt my chest tightening with the urge to join him. I contented myself with a smile and spoke before another silence could settle. "Are you still playing that fighting game?"

             " _On and off,_ " he admitted. Was I distracting him? " _I can turn it off though if you want to play something together._ "

           I stared at the phone incredulously for a spell, "...Uh, no!" I almost yelped when Duusu prodded me into speaking. "That's okay. You don't have to stop for me." 

           I tried to sound as casual as I could. Duusu wasn't impressed. She flailed her little limbs about caustically but I ignored her. Polite or not, his stats were intimidating and I was thrown too off guard by the sudden invite. 

            " _It's fine, [Name]. I don't mind._ "

            He sounded so sincere. It might have put me at ease but for his unfamiliarity. I still didn't know much about him. Certainly not enough to risk embarasing myself. And how did I know his bestie Chloé wasn't right next to him even now to bare witness? "No, really, it's--I actually only wanted to ask you about Halloween. I'm supposed to be getting ready for tonight."

            " _What's going on tonight?_ " That's right. I'd told him I didn't have any plans. Well, technically I didn't. But now Paonne Blue did.

            "Dinner," I lied. It was the first thing I thought of but it hardly mattered. 

            " _Oh. Enjoy!_ " There was a hastiness to his voice. I didn't know what caused it but I dared to tease him.

            "Don't sound so disappointed! We can talk again later." My heart beat a little harder in my chest, hoping I hadn't finally managed to overstep my boundaries. 

            But he hummed, " _Sure,_ " and it came a bit late but he sounded calmer, happier. I relaxed. On the other line, a chair squeaked. " _See you later_."

            "...Was it just me or did he seem like he wanted that to last longer?" Duusu asked once we were sure the line had gone dead. I was surprised she had nothing to say about the smile lingering on my face.

            I glanced at her, wondering why that could be but she seemed almost drunk on pleasure as she drifted in lazy circles through the air. I sighed affectionately, "No, bluebird, I think that's just you. Come on."

            "Where are we going?" Her eyes followed my form curiously as I started packing a bag full of essentials. It's been a few months but the routine was just as easy to fall back into as every one else had been. 

           "Patrolling. We've had enough time to settle back in. I think it's time we pick back up on it."

            "Are you certain? I didn't see you rest at all..."

            "I'll be okay. Besides, you slept. I can just borrow your energy if I get tired."

            She moaned quietly. I ignored her, "How late do you plan on staying out?"

            "Well, it's not a school night so I was thinking three? Maybe four am? What do you think?"

            "I think that's a long time and a lot of work for just one person." I paused in stuffing my bag. A frown pulled at my mouth. I'd nearly forgotten that Volpin wasn't around right now. No one could blame me. There was a lot going on. "You can't watch over all of Paris by yourself. It's too much."

            "You don't think I can do it?" I challenged despite secretly fretting over the very same. "And just what do you suppose Master Fu did before Volpin came along? And what did  _he_ do once I left?"

            "Well, I'd imagine he tried to come up with a system. That'd be the smart thing to do," she said thoughtfully and yet somehow she still managed to sound flippant. "But it clearly didn't work. At either time." I didn't respond. It grated on Duusu a little. Her impatience reared its head and she huffed. "You can't tire us out just to make a point!"

            Now  _that_ pissed me off. Not only because her tone reminded me of those early days when I had less experience and consequentially constantly needed her advice to make up for it; I'd grown since then and I didn't need her lectures on how not to be an idiot anymore--but also because she had this whole thing backwards, "I'm not trying to prove anything to anybody. I don't need to. What I  _am_ trying to do is the job I was given to the best of my ability. Just because I can't do everything doesn't mean I shouldn't try to do  _something_."

            I tried to keep from glaring. I knew she didn't mean to upset me and doing so always upset her in return. Quite frankly I've had more than enough of that for one day. She  _did_ wilt a little, tail feathers twitching and flinching uncertainly. After a moment the tension dribbled from her body and she sighed, "Just don't do too much. You've done a lot today already."

            The concern in her tone while appreciated and endearing rubbed me the wrong way. A stray strand of paranoia suggested a link between what Master Fu said about her spirit overwhelming my body and her nitpicking. 

            Did connecting with her too much too often also have the same effect? If so, didn't that mean she was more like a parasite then than a benefactor that my body had to be physically fit to endure? 

            I always thought Kwamis tired after transformations because they used up so much power to make us superhuman but maybe I was wrong. Maybe fighting against our own spirits' natural resistance to things like hauntings and possessions were what exhausted them instead? 

            I sighed tiredly, too tired and unwilling to even want to waste time going in circles over this. It wasn't like I could get the answers on my own. Now more than ever I needed to see Master Fu. I had too many distracting questions--too many concerns that chipped away at my courageousness and made me hesitate to do what I had to. 

            There was no reason for me to be nervous about flaring up. Duusu had never hurt me before. I'd never distrusted her. Now, though, my stomach fluttered almost to the point of nausea when the words left my mouth. I squeezed my eyes shut and breathed deeply through my nose when the tingling started. 

           Everything felt as it should when it faded. I didn't feel weak or out of control or overcome by some unseen mystical force from another plane. I felt powerful which was normal and lighter than air which was a given and yet something about going out into the night terrified me.

            I realized what it was only as I was making my way to Point Zero. 

            It was where most of our patrols began. The nostalgia of streaking there as soon as it grew dark, watching lights slowly pepper the landscape with increasing quantity until they flushed away the starlights in the sky hit me hard.

            I almost expected to hear a single, soft, eerie note drift up on the wind--a greeting from my rather elusive partner as he slunk through the shadows either to meet me atop the monument or to say he was already there and had been waiting expectantly.

            It was a comforting reminder that no matter what happened during the day, there was always someone else out there with me every night who knew exactly what I was going through. He knew fear and uncertainty and what it meant to struggle because he dealt with them, too. He was  _there_ and willing and able to share.

            Only now he was not.

            There was no signal--no small dark figure lurking just out of shadow as he tightroped the tiny arcs between the pillars of the cathedral or scurried up the sides of one of the two towers to watch me land. 

            I was alone and very aware of it.

            The green statues guarding the roof offered no relief as I settled atop the spire--standing at the base of its cross and wrapping my limbs around its own arms.

            No one took notice. It was still busy with almost two full hours left until closing. 

            I watched silently, unmovingly, as people drifted in and out, to and fro, through this tiny concrete park. Most emerged with little baggies from the gift shops. An occasional bouquet from the florist's further down made its way to the sprawling hospital next door. Errands accomplished, patrons then drifted about the rings of restaurants tucked about strategically to ensnare them before reluctantly moving on. 

            I could relate. 

            I had no intentions myself of staying so long when I first arrived but what felt like a whole hour had gone by and I still couldn't bring myself to move.

            I didn't want to.

            There was no logical reason for it. I wasn't needed here. Nothing would happen on this tiny river island with a police station at its center. In truth the only purpose this place served was its impressive vantage point. I could see 2,500 feet in just about any direction from up here but considering the circumstances even that argument was weak.  

            Miserably so. Just like I was.

            Volpin wasn't coming. I already knew that--had already accepted that--but that didn't mean I didn't hope for it. Like an impertinent child, I stressed that if I just waited long enough--if I hoped hard enough-- then maybe. 

            ' _Don't go anywhere or you'll miss him!_ ' My mind insisted every time I started to see reason. 

             I tried to rationalize with myself--telling myself that it was okay to miss him, to want him here. It only made sense, right? He was my friend and my partner and a veteran most of all. It made sense that I should be a little hesitant to take the lead so suddenly when that was always his role. I spent so long waiting for his word, his directions, his help it only made sense that I should instinctively have reservations to branching out on my own. Not even Duusu could believe in me so why not just count my losses and call it a night?

            Bullshit. 

            All excuses to be a coward--to give up before I could try. 

            And who would do this if I didn't? Chat Noir? Ladybug? Did I  _really_ want to back down and let them (let _her_ ) have this, too? What right did I have then to claim Paris as mine if I wouldn't even work for its protection without someone to hold my hand?

            No. Volpin was gone and that wasn't okay.  _I_ wasn't okay but I would be. 

            Of course pep talks alone wouldn't be enough to break me into this new norm. The silence was deafening. In a last ditch effort to push it away, I forcibly cleared my mind of distractions. By focusing only on Volpin and his strange energy, I was usually able to make some sort of telepathic connection with him. (1)

            Of course this only worked when he was  _also_ using his Miraculous...Did he even call on Trixx anymore? If not this message would be waiting on Volpin's mental answering machine for a long time...

            I sighed and pushed those thoughts away. It didn't matter. Even if he didn't transform with Trixx for another year, he would still hear me and hopefully take comfort in what I had to say:

           " _Bonjour, Foxtail. If you didn't already guess, this is your lovely Bluebird calling to tell you that I'm back in Paris and out on patrols. You'll be happy to know that as of September 24th, Point Zero is as uneventful as ever though I can't say the same for Paris as a whole. Things have gotten a little messy here in our absence. It's a lot to explain but the simple version is that a chosen one turned bad and now he's after the jewels of Creation and Destruction..._ "

            It was hard to sound as droll as he was likely used to with so much running back and forth through my mind. Hopefully I didn't project them. He never complained--accepting the stray images as the uncontrollable force that they were given this method of communication--but I know it had to be annoying and he'd definitely mentioned it fucking with his vision once or twice.

           " _I'm not saying this to worry you. I know you've probably got your own things to deal with otherwise you'd be here too. I just thought you'd like to know what's happening back home of you ever visit._ "

            A wistful smile tugged at my lips as I imagined what he would say. His messages came via shimmering magic bubbles. Volpin's masked face--usually with his eyes turned away, ever focused on the job, hint of a reluctant grin pulling at his mouth at my cheeky burlesqueing--filled their opalescent centers as he spoke to me; bursting into tiny fireworks made from stardust when he was done.

            I can't remember the last time I got a message from him. I was usually the one reaching out to him anyway and there was no need to send a message physically if I'd already connected to his mind the way I had now. Still, it  _was_ strange to have heard nothing from him after all this time. No heads up about his leaving Paris. No mention of going to America. I had to find all of this out from Master Fu or else I'd have been looking around for him like a desperate fool.

            That hurt a little, if I was going to be honest. I thought we were closer than that. Maybe I'd misjudged all this time? If so then I'd really made a show of myself. 

            I breathed in deeply against the tightness threatening my throat. My eyes started to sting and suddenly I didn't want to talk to him anymore. 

            " _Anyways, I'm on my way to the business district. Yes, I know it's_ technically  _outside of Paris but the skyscrapers are going to give me a good look at the west side. I'll let you know if I see someting of interest._ " 

            As the last word faded away into the evening so did the connection. No one tugged on the other side of it. As good a sign as any, I suppose. 

            Untangling myself from the cathedral, I made a slow beeline down the Seine, passed the Pont Saint-Michel and the Neuf. The Louvre Museum glittered in crystal light. I thought about stopping by--reminded that they should be in the middle of opening a new area with Ancient Egyptian artifacts. Surely they could use some extra eyes to make sure everything went smoothly. 

            But no. Something told me that if the exhibit really was about to open, then surely they'd already received their shipment. The only things left to do were unpack and arrange everything and I could hardly interfere with that.

            I abandoned the Seine when it started to veer more towards the south and instead kept over land towards the Arc.

            I hesitated here. While not nearly tall enough to catch my fancy, the night clubs just off the circle were always hot spots for minor disasters.

            Aside from the normal problems with minors and petty thieves, the overly aggressive bouncers were known for their long-standing vendetta against foreigners (the ugly ones at least) and their attempts to experience "the best" of Parisian night life.     

            The numers were down, though. I couldn't tell if that was because tourist season was largely over or not but very few people were wandering up to anyone of the three establishments. I liked to think maybe they'd come to their senses. Experience dictated that something else had likely already happned to ruin the good mood. I didn't see any police or criminal activity to suggest anything insidious. Whatever it was, it saved me the trouble of having to do it myself so I left well-enough alone and moved on. 

            Fancy restaurants dissolved into generic fast-food chains from America. McDonald's...Burger King...Their presence seemed fitting somehow now in a cruel ironic way--appearing just as I didn't want to think of the place my wayward partner had skipped off to...

            They were broken up by hotels and markets and post offices for the most part until the Seine whipped back around and sliced through the landscape. I crossed it to land atop a seagreen glass tower that reminded me in shape of the red cross.

            At almost twice the height of the Notre Dame, this tower enabled me to scour for almost a mile into Paris for disturbances.

             I could see the back of an amusement park and most of a fairly wooded shopping center. There was even a police station within range which worked out well for me in case I had to drag anyone there who stepped out of line.

            I didn't expect much from the official employees. They were usually too tired and anxious after the work day to get home to bother causing any trouble and there weren't that many on a Saturday especially at this time which made those loiterers dressed in plain hoodies and saggy jeans that much more out-of-place.  

             It was easy to tell those copying the style and those who were up to no good. The former were usually loud and boisterous and obnoxious just for the sake of being so. They expected no one to check them and I took great pleasure in sending along gusts of wind to ruin their efforts at being suave. The latter on the other hand were typically fairly quiet and watchful. They tried so hard to be causal that they ended up looking suspicious instead as they manned high-traffic areas like a stairway or a street corner. A patch of grass beside a sign. A bus stop. 

            I couldn't seize them without any proof. And while I had the ability to force a confession through hypnosis, there was no way I was going to tire Duusu out using Starry Eyes on such unimportant people so far down the organizational heirarchy that they couldn't even provide me with any viable information. No, I was stuck watching and waiting and that was okay. As long as potential customers kept turning their noses up when they met their would-be dealers' eyes I was satisfied. Eventually with enough disinterest they would move elsewhere. They certainly weren't having any luck this night. Same as the clubs, business seemed to be rather slow.

            It didn't seem likely that they'd already finished selling so early in the evening. People must be staying home.

            That complicated matters a little and changed the dynamic of this sweeping search in a way that put me at a disadvantage. The irony was no longer appreciated.

            _Volpin_ was the prowler equipped for alley-walking and sneaking through homes and hunting through neighborhoods for the scent of malevolence. 

            _I_  did not have x-ray vision, or night vision, and my hearing was in no way super-sonically enhanced. My inexplicable attraction to shiny things alone were what allowed this nesting habit of mine to work. Bad things seemed to light up before my eyes--to sparkle and glitter in the light from a thousand sun-bathed diamonds and sapphires. Naturally the more I could see, the more likely I was to catch a glimmer which was why tower-hopping worked wonders for me.

            I held out on this line of thought defiantly, hoping I was overexaggerating, long enough for the working crowds to thin; but there was nothing else for it. It was too quiet and I knew it. Begrudingly I accepted reality and took off. 

             Back across the Seine I went though not quite in the same direction as before. There were more trees and patches of green down below this time but as weather-worn cement began the concentrate the land, I slowed. 

            The Seine--back _again_  after its curve through the city--was littered with long mooring ships. I scrutinized them carefully for vandalism or smuggling as I unconciously settled on one of the most distracting apartment buildings in the area.

            It was scarcely taller than the Notre Dame. I'd expected as much of course though I didn't like it one bit. It's only saving grace was its unusual and daring design.

            Rather than have it's foundation planted squarely into the age-old city soil, this elongated octangonal thing poised itself atop four pillars of cement. As if that weren't precarious enough, they had the nerve to build part of the living units against the sides of the exterior walls like little warts or pimples on the surface of a gourd.

            Childishly, I entertained the idea that my sudden though rather insignificant weight could be the last straw that sent the tower toppling. Then I considered how much work it'd take to save so many people before they crashed to their deaths or drowned in the river and it stopped being so funny.

            I sighed and once again settled in for a small spell of watchful silence. It couldn't last as long as before with such a low view point but anything was better than nothing.

            It was easier in public places. People-watching could entertain me for hours. They always did the stupidest things when they thought no one was looking. 

            Residential areas weren't quite so fun for me. Everything was well tucked away and the lack of activity was indescribably mind-numbing. 

            The only good thing to come out of it was the need to constantly move. It helped stave off a little of the daze that inevitably settled in over hours of vigilance even if it did get exhausitng--

            Sudden movement from the left. Shifting air. My skin prickled. I only just started to turn my head when--

            "Well, hello, there."

            I breathed in deeply through my nose at the sound of the casual sensual greeting to force my heart to get back on track. It'd skipped a beat at his sudden appearance. He seemed to know it, too, judging from that smirk pulling at his mouth. My brow twitched down, "What are you doing here?"

            "Well, that's not fair," he complained lightly. "I was going to ask you first."  

            "Too bad. I beat you to it so answer before I lose my patience with you."

            "Ouch." He placed a clawed hand over his heart and turned away as though wounded.

            I didn't care.

            My dismissal clearly rubbed him the wrong way. I couldn't see it with my head turned away but there was no other reason he should ask, "Did something happen?"

            I probably wouldn't have answered if he didn't sound so anxious. But how did I respond? Did I address the issues or call him out on avoiding my question but expecting an answer to his own? 

            I took too long to decide it seemed. His silver-capped boots filled my field of vision before his lithe body folded down to join them. He kept his balance with such wide-spread knees by touching his fingers to the roof. Thank Heavens he'd covered his crotch in the same breath. As much as he likely wanted me to look at him while he spoke, he would have inadvertedly made it impossible.

            As it was I found myself distracted not by his physique but by those green eyes set in a perfectly dark face, seemingly glowing and glinting as if with their own light. A shiver ran down my spine. I scrambled to avert my eyes--focusing instead on the bridge of his nose to keep from being swept away.

            "Are you alright?"

            "I'm fine," I ground out. Or at least I was making do until he showed up. "Are you?"

            "Just purrrfect--"

            "Good God," I moaned and wrinkled my nose. He grinned cheekily. 

            "What, no good?"

            I scoffed, "No! Why would you do that!? Agh! And Iwalked right into it!"

            He chuckled and rose to his feet. I had to step back. We'd be too close otherwise. I didn't want to accidently touch anything. 

            His head tilted imperceptibly at the movement, "...Are you sure you're okay, milady?" His hands rose uncertainly--wanting to touch but not sure where or even  _if_ it would be allowed. I grinned softly, resignedly, and boldly grasped the bell at his throat.

            His masked brows rose in surprise though he made no move to stop my curious exploration of the little charm.

            It rolled across the pads of my clothed fingers with a surprisingly delicate jingle. Chat Noir's eyes sparkled with restrained laughter. I sighed and glanced back down, "What do you want, Chat Noir?"

            Immediately he shifted. His back arched just enough to dislodge my fingers. I started to let my hand fall but he caught it and brought it to his mouth. My free hand fisted in a vain attempt to keep my nerves from fraying, "You promised me a time out."

            "Then go take one. I'm sure you can find a corner around here somewhere."

            He pursed his lips, "I meant with you."

            I huffed, frustrated with his persistence. He hadn't even let go of my hand, "And you thought  _now_ would be the right time?"

            "Well what makes it the wrong time?" Something in my expression must've tipped him off. He rushed to say, "You said to _day_ was no good. You didn't say anything about to _night_."

            "It was implied," I sighed and gently removed my hand from his. Freed from their burden his fingers curled around the sides of his narrow hips. Displeasure wrinkled the space between his eyes. 

            "But you're not even doing anything!" He complained. 

            "I am," I countered serenely and turned away from him once again.

            "Oh yeah?" He circled around until he was once again blocking my line of sight. I pressed my lips together tightly to keep from getting angry. He tilted his chin challengingly, "What's that?"

            I started to say something cheeky but then I thought better of it and let my face contort into a scowl. Behind me the fabric feathers ruffled. "Actually, I'm here doing what you and Ladybug should be doing if you knew anything about being good heroes. Why is there no one out here with me?" 

            Though his face contorted in absolute confusion, an answer was swift to pass his lips, "We were! Ladybug was with you earlier and  _I'm_ here now--"

            I cut him off, "No, she wasn't."

            "Yes, she was! I saw her on the Ladyblog."

            "Seriously?"

            He tilted his head almost condescendingly, "Of course you'd see Ladybug on a blog dedicated to her, Lady Blue."

            I cut my eyes at him and shoved his shoulder. Though I did it lightly he still jerked back a bit, " _Obviously_. I'm talking about the fact you actually watch it."

            "Why shouldn't I?" He tried to hide his self-consciousness by widening his stance and tossing his hands behind his head. 

            "Isn't it a bit narcissistic for people to watch other people freak out over themselves?" I mean,  _I_ did it but it's not like that was normal behaviour for me. I didn't count. 

            His ears--the leather ones--flicked back in distaste, "I guess but it's not about _me_. It's about Ladybug and she's amazing and deserves the attention." 

            Good God, he didn't even hesitate in spewing that mess. I couldn't decide if his loyalty was endearing or vomit-inducing. It must've appeared on my face because Chat Noir clicked his teeth and turned his head away sharply. His attitude changed nothing for me, "Are you going to tell me what you saw so we can clear this up or are you going to keep sulking over the taste of sour milk?"

           I was surprised he actually seemed to be considering his options. It was almost enough to make me abandon him. I didn't want to play games right now. I didn't have the patience for it when he was already confusing me and interrupting the important work I was trying to accomplish. "Well?!"

            I might have felt bad for yelling if it hadn't succeeded in wrenching the words out of his throat. He didn't seem very ready to offer them either if the bumbling start was any indication, "It started, the video, I mean, Alya was trying to see if she could find any clues about who Ladybug was by revisiting places Reflekta was spotted earlier."

            I shook my head derisively, "Doesn't make sense. Did she find anything?"

            ' _Of course not_ ,' I thought. Alya couldn't have chosen a stupider way of trying. Any place in the city Reflekta visited would not have seen Ladybug's presence as the three of us had high-tailed it to the station to draw her in not the other way around.

            I suppose the poor girl couldn't really be blamed. She didn't know what was going on. She likely only saw us leaving the building and assumed we'd given chase. From her perspective then I guess she was being rather ingenious.

            It hit me then that maybe I should be praising Chat Noir for his interest in the Ladyblog. If Alya really was going to start seriously digging for answers (even if this current course of action was on a level of stupidity I'd like to imagine the brunette was above) then it'd be best to keep an eye out for her. Even if that wasn't the blond's intentions, it would still benefit us with the bonus of not having to waste  _my_ time minding such nonsense. 

            "Yes and no." Now if only  _this_ nonsense would solve itself... "She was coming up empty-handed until Ladybug herself came on the video. She didn't mean to. It looked like her yo-yo got caught on a helicopter. She dropped a book."

            I rolled my wrist impatiently, "What's all that got to do with  _me_?" 

            "The helicopter was chasing you," he said as if  _I_ were the crazy person not making any sense.

            I cocked my head to the side in confusion. I didn't remember being chased by any helicopters when I left to go back to Dupont and the only other time I was Paonne Blue was on my way to Goussainville hours later. That must've been when. That was the only time today I'd been wholly unconcerned with anything and everything else around me. Otherwise I would have certainly ridiculed Ladybug on how her failed attempt at following me ended with her being dragged and dangled through the streets for all to see. 

            "We weren't together. I didn't even know I was being followed."

            Whether or not I had company didn't matter so much in the grand scheme of things to Chat Noir who asked, "What were you doing?"

            I debated on telling him. 

            On one hand, Kwami escapades would hardly come as a surprise to him. Apparently only Ladybug had gotten lucky enough to get one so docile. But on the other, explaining why Duusu needed to be taken care of could lead down a slippery spiralling slide through loads of seemingly harmless information that--when combined with the right context--could line up quite unfortunately. 

            It didn't matter if Chat Noir could connect a photoshoot to my school. I already suspected the possibility of at least one of them being a schoolmate of mine. That information would have been more dangerous if Hawkmoth hadn't already decided to persecute them in their civilian forms. Now, it was something of a saving grace to know that I would always be nearby to prevent their Miraculi (even if it was just one) from being stolen away when I was too busy pretending to be a normal high school girl. If they ever deduced the same, I could only assume it would be rather reassuring and nothing to freak out over as long as we didn't actively search to uncover each other's true selves. 

            There was the small problem, however, that both Ladybug and Chat Noir's education on the subjects were severely lacking. Neither one could even guess that even as they were protecting Paris, that it was my job to protect both of them because neither one knew the true power they possessed and how dangerous that was for them because neither of their Kwamis had lead them to Master Fu yet who consequentially hadn't an opportunity to explain even the  _basics_ to the duo which meant my fussing though justified was essentially useless until further notice because they wouldn't understand a single bit of it and I couldn't explain a damn thing because like an idiot, I'd already promised Master Fu I'd let the Kwamis deal with their bearers without interference from me--!

            I closed my eyes tiredly against a forming headache...

            A gentle prod to my ribs shook all that way.

            My muscles jumped. I clamped down on a startled laugh--strangling it into a grinding gasp. My hand flew down instantaneously to grasp the offender in a vice. 

            I whipped around to gaze at Chat Noir wildly. 

            His eyes had gone round with excitement. The very edges of bright white teeth peaked between his lips in the beginings of a mischievous grin. I squeezed his hand harder, " _Don't_."

            His eyes narrowed dangerously. The long elegant fingers in my grasp wiggled threateningly. 

            " _Nothing_ ," I ground out when I thought back to what had likely prompted him to tickle me. A question. He hummed, unsatisfied with the answer but pleased at having received one finally all the same. I cast aside his hand with a huff. 

            "Then why wasn't I invited?"

            "Because  _no one_ was invited! She just showed up--"

            "Just like I did." I squinted at him. He grinned. I tried not to.

            "I see what you're trying to do--"

            "Then why are you trying so hard to stop me?"

            I hesitated. 

           A part of me wanted to flip the tables--to play on his flirtatious streak and have a little fun pestering him as he was me. He made it so easy after all and I had so many things on the tip of my tongue to say--but that part of me was too small. I just didn't have it in me. I sighed and honestly probably wilted a little, too.

          "I guess you're just not the right person."

           The concern in his brows drained away immediately. It was replaced with the blank stare and parted lips usually associated with stunned surprise. His shoulders leveled and his arms hung loosely at his side...The poor thing seemed so confused. I tried to explain, "It's not you. That is, don't take it personally because I _am_ happy to see you even if you are working on my nerves a little..." The words tangled themselves together on my tongue. I wasn't surprised. These were private thoughts with no business being shared. I couldn't help it though. I was tired. "I'm lonely."

            The admission was made less embarrassing knowing Chat Noir could only see me as Paonne Blue. Empowered by my anonymity and encouraged by his sympathetic frown, I continued. It burst forth in a rush.

            "I'm stressed out. Everything is wrong. People who are supposed to be here are gone. People are here who shouldn't be. Clearly, I've gone into some type of shock or something because I'm having such a hard time accepting everything's different and I seem to be the only one with this problem.

            "I keep doing things, expecting them to be like it was--for something familiar to happen that I can use to hold on to to keep me from going crazy but they either don't work or just make me feel worse. Like I'm running myself in circles but everytime I try to stop and make sense of one thing, three _other_ things spring up and I can't deal with all of it by myself but I _have_ to because there  _is_ no one else--"

            "That's not true," he interjected. "I mean, I know you don't care much for Ladybug and I'm not the person you want but I'll still be here for you. You're a part of the team now."

            He was trying so hard to be understanding. His own confusion--and it was clearly there--was pushed to the side in favor of trying to make me feel better. The idea was sweet but I still wanted to fix it. I wasn't the type of person who could function in disarray. I certainly didn't like being the cause of it.

            "I already had a team." I said these words as gently as I could. The last thing I wanted was to make Chat feel like I was ungrateful to him for extending an olive branch. I just wanted him to get it--to listen and accept that while _he_ was blameless, I was still hurting and simple encouragement would not be enough to bandage these festering wounds.

            I watched his face--unsure of what expression I had made but certain that it must've been wretched if he felt the need to come forward and throw his arms around my shoulders. 

            I laughed humorlessly and returned the hug, too shocked to do much else, "My, you  _are_ a friendly kitty-kitty, aren't you?"

            He didn't take the bait. I was glad. This time I didn't want him to. 

            Despite our suits' design to prevent most temperature changes from registering on our senses, I could tell Chat Noir's body ran hot. I could feel it on his exhales when they brushed against the crown of my head. It was difficult to resist the urge to cuddle into him. I didn't have much opportunity to hug people let alone males without the fear of giving off the wrong impression. I couldn't help but pity myself a little. This was amazing. Like being in my bed curled under my fluffiest blanket with my firmest pillow to keep me grounded. I felt better immediately and nearly regretted bringing the topic up at all. 

            But then he stepped away and the chill I didn't notice before returned until the fabric of my suit filtered it away again. My loneliness was reinstated with it and I sighed. Chat Noir smiled though he still seemed more subdued than I was used to seeing from him. "What was she like?"

            I grinned softly--not only at his mistake but also at his subtle permission to keep blathering on about my problems, "He. And his name was Volpin. I'm sure you can guess what his Miraculous was."

            "He had one, too?"

            "Yes. He actually got his way before even me. I shadowed him for a while until I figured out how this hero thing worked. At first he was pretty dismissive. Not arrogant or anything. I guess he just figured I'd gotten the same instruction he had so he didn't think he should bother me too much if I had my own job to do even after he got used to seeing me." I expected some sort of question or comment but none came. I took it as a free pass to keep going. "We didn't work together like you and Ladybug do. We're good at different things so unless one of us ran into trouble, we didn't usually see much of each other after I found my wings."

            "Then why do you miss him so much?"

            I could have taken offense but his tone wasn't condescending enough and it  _was_ a good question for a stranger to ask so I answered, "Because even if we didn't see each other in person we still knew the other one was always there. We protected each other from each other like if one of us used too much magic and couldn't find somewhere safe to transform back or got stuck somewhere we couldn't get out of. Volpin was pretty bad about that. I can't count how many times I had to come fetch him off a building he'd managed to climb but couldn't easily find a safe way back down. I think after a while he just got used to me coming to his rescue and just stopped trying to be so careful.

            "And we talked about things. Serious things because he was older than me but also about little things like our day or our dreams of where we saw ourselves in the future and if there was still time before we had to go on patrols, we would sometimes even explore a little. There are a lot of cool things around Paris people overlook, you wouldn't believe some of it." I shrugged when I realized I'd probably said too much. "I don't know. I guess I just miss having my friend--not a person I have to babysit; not a simple teammate I say goodbye to after the fight is over, no better than a perfect stranger."  

            "...I guess I can understand that." I doubted it. The nuances of pain and loneliness and the endless struggle and toil all in the name of a thankless oblivious public was still miles above his head but I wouldn't degrade him for trying to make some connection with himself if it helped things click in his mind. "I didn't have anybody until Ladybug and most times even that feels like it's only because she has to. Because I'm the only other one here with her so she'd might as well keep me around even if she doesn't really want to. I think it was because I made a good impression when we first appeared. Otherwise I think she would have gave up on this partner thing by now. I still feel like she might sometimes..."

            He seemed so sad by the prospect. I could understand if she was his only chance at having someone to be with. So maybe not  _miles_ above his head. Maybe...maybe only a couple yards, "I'm glad you came back."

            I smiled wryly. What did he know to be glad about that? "Hoping she'll hate me enough to suddenly see how valuable you are in comparison?"

            "Well, there's that," he teased with a wink. My smile shifted into something purer. "But I didn't notice how lonely  _I_ was until you came along."

            I paused to consider that. After a beat I turned to him, "Then maybe I can be for you what Volpin was for me when I first became a hero. That is if you can handle my personality. Apparently I'm  _very_ obnoxious and hard to get along with."

            He grinned. The expression brightened his otherwise shadowy face and filled his limbs with excess energy. His movements weren't as fluid as they usually were when he pounced forward. His long arms coiled around my shoulders again. His legs started to wrap across my thighs before he thought better of it and righted himself. I stumbled back against his momentum though I didn't release the tall male. Instead I giggled at his goofiness and stroked a clump of his wild hair between my fingers to keep from tugging experimentally at his feline appendages.

            I didn't bother him for a good half a minute. I felt better than I had all week (except for when I got my camera back) and it was entirely his doing so I didn't mind. He was still little more than a stranger, though, and the more I thought about that, the more propriety and reason insisted I should probably stop doing what I was doing.  

            "You _do_ give nice hugs, Chat Noir, but I still think you should let go at some point!" 

            He chuckled and obediently extracted himself. The grin remained firmly tacked in place as he said, "I can't help it. You're surprisingly comfy, milady."

            I preened as if that were something to be proud of, as if I'd had a part in it, casting my hips back to make my tail flutter attractively. His own whipped behind him in an adorable if not unconscious mimicry. I laughed to myself and turned away.

            " _Now_ where are you going?" Chat sighed dramatically as he hurried to stay at my side. 

            "I already told you that, didn't I?" I asked as I rose into the air and drifted away. I still had a job to do after all. There was no reason to neglect it just because I had a sudden unexpected visitor. 

            " _No_."

            I could tell from his tone that he'd had more to say but I cut him off, "Oh~ that's right! Because I asked you first and you didn't respond because you got side-tracked. I remember now."

            "And it's going to happen again if you're not careful. Are you hiding something? Is that why you won't tell me?"

            I chortled, "No, of course not. What do _I_ have to hide?"

            I spared a glance over my shoulder at him as I made my way across a tiny intersection. He straightened from his quadrupedal bounding just long enough to shrug. I quirked a brow. Moving that way shouldn't have been the least bit practical as a human but the blond didn't seem to have any issues with the beastly gait at all. His rhythm didn't falter. His movements were smooth and graceful. If I didn't know any better I'd say he was more efficient getting around this way than upright. It was...a little weird, seeing just how much his transformation changed his instincts.

            Was that a side effect of using a more powerful Kwami? Volpin was a similar creature and yet he didn't behave so animalistically...but maybe it was because he'd been around longer. Did it take time to keep a Kwami's attributes from bleeding in and overpowering our natural human ones? Or was it just a harmless add-on like my ability to fly and my paranoia was just whispering in my ear again?

            "Why won't you just answer?" Chat's voice came from a slight distance as I crossed a patch of green before dropping some to stray closer to the roof of a nearby Japanese restaurant. He dropped down onto the surface next to me with a solid thud. My brows quirked. 

            Was that irritation? 

            "..." Normally I'd take pleasure from pushing another's buttons this way. If he were anybody else I might have even kept it going just to punish him for his tone. But I didn't want to chase him away even if he was distracting me from my job. That didn't mean I couldn't bite back a little even though I knew he couldn't be blamed for his own ignorance. "Because I thought it was obvious. I'm guarding the streets of Paris from the horrors of the night."

            "Sounds like something from an anime."

            I shrugged. He would know better than me. I didn't watch much TV, "Maybe but it's true. You'd be surprised what evils people get up to when they think no one can stop them especially since most normal people can't." 

            "I take it you've seen some things."

            "I have," I admitted reluctantly. That was one conversation his curiosity would not be able to pry from my lips. "But I'm not seeing much of anything tonight."

            He acknowledged my attempt to keep the topic light and offered playfully, "Isn't that a good thing?"

            "Of course but it's hardly  _normal_ ," I stressed. "People are horrible creatures. They're always doing something bad so where are they? What happened?"

            "You mean besides Reflekta running through the city with her pink sugar beams?"

            I stuck out my tongue, "Correct me if I'm wrong but from what  _I've_ witnessed, Parisians have become unhealthily used to those sorts of things. I doubt she would have stopped them."

            He cocked his head, golden blond fringe fluttering across his brows attractively, "Maybe they're hiding from you."

            A short laugh burst forth from my lips. I bobbed my head agreeably, "Ha, yeah. You know what? That would actually make a lot of sense."

            "Would it?" He tried to make it sound casual but clearly he didn't see the connection. Was that meant to be a joke before? If so, it went right over my head.

            I nodded, "Yes. You see, I used to have the element of surprise. They didn't know who picked them off at night. It was dark and Volpin and I kept to the shadows. You should have heard the rumors. No one could get more than a passing glance of a color so they assumed we were spirits or something, punishing them for being bad. But then I came back and you remember that day when I went gallivanting through the city right? Well, any smart person--especially a criminal--could draw the lines between a vengeful blue witch and a dazzling blue bird-hero. Especially when the two other heroes around don't show any interest in night activity--oh don't look at me like that! It's true! You fight akumas and you go home! Anyway! The fear of the unknown was removed. I'm human--a human with magic to be sure--but human nonetheless and humans are not invincible." I sighed and put a hand on a cocked hip. "I just hope I did my job well enough before I left so this scurrying into the woodworks means they're afraid their ghost stories were real instead of working to find a way to undermine me. Well, us, now, I suppose..."

            A smile tugged at my mouth suddenly, "How ironic that I might have done better if I'd stayed invisible on the sidelines." 

            He frowned, "What do you mean?"

            I seemed to be turning him around quite a bit tonight, the poor thing, "It's obvious you and Ladybug have this Hawkmoth thing under control." At least enough that Master Fu hadn't felt the need to tell either me or Volpin about the new developments until I literally tripped over them. "I could have just left that to you two while I kept dealing with this and the bad guys wouldn't have known any better. Granted you would have gotten the credit for all my hard work but..."

            "But you were good today," he insisted.

            I stared at him oddly, "I let you get zapped by the victim."

            "But you also stopped her from getting Ladybug's Miraculous--" 

            "Which you did, too--"

            "Yeah, but you got there first and I think having three of us there instead of just two--"

            "Oh,  _relax_ , kitten!" I cried when it seemed he would only succeed in working himself into a tizzy if I let this continue. "Goodness! You act as if I'm going to magically disappear into thin air! I'm just saying what I think out loud." 

            I would have missed the strangled sound if he could have recovered from it fast enough. As it was, he stumbled a bit on the next landing and had to shake his head to clear his thoughts. 

            I turned to him fully, brow arching playfully. 

            For once, it was _he_ who could not meet _my_  eyes. He studied his fingers instead as they anxiously curled and straightened under his chin. I couldn't tell if the red on his face was in response to my words or the neon signs of the bowling alley across the narrow road but his tail whipped nervously behind him all the same. I grinned widely and closed the distance between us with a mischievous sway of my faux tail.

            "What's the matter?" I cooed. "You don't like it?"

            "...I..." Words clearly failed him. That alone seemed to mortify him more than my teasing. He scrambled to reconstruct his façade with limited success. "It's just it sounds kind of--"

            "Kind of what?" I continued in a mocking tone. He still couldn't find the words. I scoffed. "Oh, I see," I said as I turned away. I didn't bother to check and see if he would follow. By this point, I knew he would. Like me he was lonely and apparently didn't have a thing else to do. " _You_ get to have all the irritating nicknames but  _I_ can't have even one. How selfish."

            "It's not like that!" He finally forced out. Or maybe it forced its own way out because he seemed to have a time figuring out what to say after that. "...My nicknames don't irritate you, do they?"

            "They're too close to 'Ladybug'.  _My Lady_. It even has part of her name in it and don't you call  _her_ that anyway? And Lady  _Blue--_ "

            "Technically I didn't come up with that one--"

            "Yes but the girl who came up with it is not important and not nearly as witty. If your silly pun wasn't just a stroke of dumb luck, I expect more from you than a knock off from  _the bug_."

            "You think I'm witty?" I tilted my head and pursed my lips testily. Even an idiot could see he was just trying to distract from his own embarassment. He cleared his throat and made a show of crossing an arm over his chest while the other rose to tap at his chin thoughtfully, "How about 'princess'?"

            I pursed my lips, "Not powerful enough. Just sounds snobby and presumptuous. I like it better for you."  

            His face exploded. I saw it clearly this time. I wanted to squeal. Really, he made it too easy and he looked _so cute_! I turned away before he could see my massive grin. 

            "Okay," he soldiered on. "But 'Queen' or 'Duchess' seem like too much and they don't flow the same way..."

            "You don't think I'm regal enough? How rude!"

            He chuckled at my mock affront and quickly tried to fix it, "Oh, of course not, ma dame, it's just--"

            "Ah! That's it!" I cawed, interrupting what would surely have been a tacky pick-up line judging from the sultry tone he started with. "Madame!"

            He giggled, "That literally means the exact same thing."

            "Yes, but it _sounds_ better," I stressed haughtily and ruffled my fabric plumes. I struck an exaggerated pose to take off some of the edge. It succeeded in making him laugh. He looked good doing so, too. I steamrolled ahead before I could think too much about that. "Anyway, it's almost 10:30. Are you hungry?"

            Any words he might have said died on his tongue when I held up a few bills. Distracting iridescent green took over my vision as his eyes widened in surprise.

             "How'd you do that?" He asked a moment later. "Do you have pockets on your suit?" 

            The way he patted down his own form confirmed my passing guess.

            "You haven't been around as long as I thought if you haven't figured this out yet," I said as I whipped out my bag, tossed my money inside it, made the whole thing disappear, before pulling out just my money again. His eyes followed every movement intently as if doing so alone would show him how I materialized things in and out of thin air. It was amusing but also pretty frustrating. "Didn't your Kwami teach you anything?"

            "Uh-uh," he said with a firm shake of his head. "He's really not very helpful at all. How doyou do it?"

            I shrugged, "It's magic." He pouted--literally puckered up his bottom lip and everything. My hands came up defensively. "I'm serious! Where'd you think our clothes and stuff go when we transform?"

            "I always figured it worked like alchemy or something."

            My eyebrows rose in surprise and I found myself overcome with reluctant approval. Nothing lost, nothing gained, simply transmuted. A rather scientific conclusion to make even if I did disagree. At least now I knew he was actually putting in a bit of thought to his situation. Maybe it was his Kwami then who was slacking in its duty and not him. Either way, "It's not quite like that, I don't think, since anything you've been carrying can be summoned later. You couldn't do that if it became part of your suit."

             "Then where does it go?" Personal space seemed a thing of the past at this point as he slithered around my form trying to see if I was somehow leading him on. 

            I wrinkled my mouth and jolted up out of his reach. I searched the immediate vacinity for a decent place to grab some grub as I answered, "I don't know. It's still there though. You can sort of feel it. Vaguely. Like when you move your fingers and you feel it but you really don't at the same time." 

            "Can you teach me?"

            I hesitated, "That's really something your Kwami should do...But it  _is_ pretty easy and you really should have already learned how to do it so...I guess I can help you out.  _After_ we get something to eat. I'll not work on an empty stomach." 

            I didn't give him a chance to argue and instead swung him up into my arms. His yell caught in his throat and morphed into a squeak when I streaked straight up into the sky. The anvil of his knees crushed my forearm--or they would have if not for my white opera gloves acting as armor--when he curled up as tightly as he dared. His hands instinctively drew up to his chest, clutching his bell in a death grip to keep from doing the same to me. I grinned wickedly, "Wassamatter, kitty cat? I thought you  _loved_ heights."  
    

            He grumbled softly ( _deeply_ ) in his chest but did not answer. I hummed musically, "I suppose that makes sense. No matter what you say, you're still a cat and fly a cat does not." 

            "You're enjoying this," he accused quietly as if speaking louder would somehow weaken my hold on him.

            "Immensely!" I giggled and promptly dropped him.

            A shriek was ripped from his throat when my form disapated from around him. It was quite fascinating to watch his body immediately--instinctively--twist around to fall front-first instead. In between the action, I saw his hand scrabble desperately at the small of his back but there was nothing there.

         I maneuvered until I could hover in front of his face and waved his bo-staff about lazily through my self-made wind tunnel, "Did you drop something?"

            He swiped for it. Of course I didn't let him have it. Naturally he didn't take very kindly to it.

            "What is wrong with you?!" He shouted. Then he seemed to realize that the only way he was getting out of this alive was through me and immediately he changed his tune. "Help me!"

            His desparation--the way it made his pupils flutter, the green of his irises becoming so much more pronounced than I'd ever seen them, the wind pulling his golden hair up and away from his face (it was already pretty but now I could see the beginings of a long, strong jawline)--well, it made my blood flow faster. Heat pooled in my cheeks.

            I shouldn't enjoy it so much.

            No, really, I'm pretty sure I'd just accumulated some sort of bad karma as a hero. I should probably take pity on him.

            Naturally it was done begrudgingly. He deserved it after all. Maybe if he wasn't so gorgeous. And maybe if he'd been smart enough to leave me alone from the begining. Curiosity _did_ have consequences for kittens. Everybody knew that. So should he. Or rather he'd learn.

            "Oh, calm down," I chided exasperatedly as I snatched him from the air a couple yards before he hit the ground. Honestly, he could have survived the landing perfectly on his own. Probably. I mean, it _really_ wasn't _that_  far. Four-hundred and fifty feet tops and most of his descent had been slowed by my wind magic. He'd have noticed he should have hit the ground much sooner if he'd only stopped panicking. "I would never let you fall."

            "I find that hard to believe considering you were the one who dropped me in the first place!"

             "A trust exercise," I offered flippantly as I brushed passed him. He wobbled a little on unsteady legs.

            "Totally unnecessary..." I expected him to linger there until his balance returned or even to get upset and leave. If I were him I might have tried to hit me but he, even after all that, well he was still unwilling to leave me alone. His hands clasped desperately at my arm, using me as a make-shift crutch in an effort to keep up as I moved through the front of a pizza restaurant. 

            It wasn't anything special. Decorations made the tiny place feel even more cluttered and there was way too much red but it was the closest place (that I could afford) that hadn't closed yet.

            It wasn't very busy. At this point, I'd given up expecting anywhere to be. A few people were tucked away in the furthest booths by the windows. There was an employee outside wiping down the furniture for outdoor seating...

            I strode purposefully towards the counter.

            "Have you ever been here before?" Chat Noir murmured close to my ear. I tried not to let it bother me too much--tried to ignore his comfortable weight pulling at my side. 

            "No. Not as Paonne Blue anyway...It's weird."

            "Really? I think it's pretty exciting." He reached out an arm when we got close enough and transfered his weight from me to the counter. The serviceman's back was turned, busy as he was conversing with those working in the kitchen behind a half-wall made whole by a fogged glass barrier. I reached over and rolled Chat's bell against my finger.

            Narrow slate-grey eyes darted over his shoulders at the sound. A greeting died on his lips as recognition burst in their depths. Moments later something like awe took its place and his back straightened. We realized then that this man was very tall and Chat himself had to stand up straight to avoid talking at his abdomen. His smile came easier than mine, "Hi!"

            "Y-You're Chat Noir!"

            "Sure am!" I couldn't tell if he'd really already recuperated or if he was just playing it up for the stranger but either way, I was impressed. "And I'm actually a little hungry at the moment. Got anything good?"

            "It's a pizza place, Chat. They can't mess it up. Just order something." 

            The raven turned his attention to me at the sound of my voice. His reaction was similar to Chat's except there was a distinct impression of fear or wariness what settled in his shoulders. I didn't much like it. I smiled to try and put both of us at ease, "Hi, there. I'll just take whatever special you've got going for the pizza right now. Oh, and a soda. You do to-go, right?"

            Chat's head whipped around to look at me, "We're not eating here?"

            I blinked, "Did...you want to?"

            "If you're okay with it," he said though his grin made it clear that he  _really really_ wanted to. I sighed to mask my amused smile. 

            "Fine. I guess you probably should sit down for a while anyway..."            

             "Great! May I see your menu? What kind of pasta do you have?" 

            I left him to it for a minute or two--preferring to rile up the other occupants trying to stare inconspicuously by meeting their gazes head on. When I heard the total though I winced and waved my hand to draw the two males' attention, "Hey, be mindful, alright? I'm not loaded."

             I could tell from the look on Chat's face that this was the first time money had crossed his mind during this whole ordeal. The smile faded a little from his mouth as he gazed at me, "I'm sorry--"

            I waved a hand, "It's okay. It's just this isn't exactly work you get paid for and I'm not rich so--"

            "I'll pay you back for whatever you spend tonight--"

            I shook my head, "That's not what I--Wait, seriously? I mean, no, you don't have to--I have enough just don't-don't order the most expensive thing you see--"

            "I'll pay," the man burst out. 

            We both gazed at him with slightly slack jaws--I, because I was still in the middle of speaking but Chat was no doubt surprised by the offer. The man's face flushed and a suspicious shine appeared at his hairline. "You're the hero of Paris. I...never got to thank you. Never thought I'd get a chance to. It's the least I can do."

            Unexpectedly, our roles flipped as the concept seemed to make Chat Noir uncomfortable, "Ah...No, that's okay. You don't have to. We don't do it for recognition--"

            "Surely not but we appreciate your token of gratitude all the same and we humbly accept. Thank you!" I interjected before he could screw this up. The raven, though his eyes flickered to Chat's face dubiously, smiled proudly and started on the transaction. 

            My companion in the meantime frowned down at me, "What are you doing? We shouldn't--"

            "Accept when someone wants to do something nice for you?" I quirked a brow. "Why not? It's not like you're being selfish. It's not like you asked him to. And you shouldn't turn down a gift. It's rude." I waited until the gentleman had turned away to put in our order before adding: "And if it's so wrong, then why is Ladybug allowed to have people run entire websites based around her and yet you can't even get a meal?"  

            He couldn't answer. I took it as a victory and patted his arm, "You've got to look out for yourself, too, kitten. It's not always about everyone else and it's okay for people to want to thank you. Lord knows I wish people did it for me." I shook my head amidst a short wry laugh.

           His head tilted contemplatively, "How long  _have_ you been doing this? You never said."

           I hummed and rolled my eyes to the ceiling to consider that, "It's been so long I want to say for as long as I can remember but we all know that's not right... _Has_ it been a year? It feels longer than that. I remember going into my last year of middle school and struggling to balance everything because of this but I'd already had it by then so maybe a year and a half."

            He made a small sound in his throat, "The way you talk I would have thought it'd be longer."

            I sniffed, affronted, "Fuck you. Talk to me when you can say anything even remotely close, okay?"

            "..." HIs jaw dropped. His eyes widened and he looked at me as if he'd never seen me before a day in his life. I refused to acknowledge the unhappy twist in my stomach. "...I didn't mean it in a bad way!" He insisted when I gave him my back and crossed my arms. He was lucky I was hungry. Otherwise I would have left by now.

            "Uh-huh."

            "I'm serious! It's just--it always seemed like you were older. I wouldn't expect high school--"

            "So now you're saying I look old."

            " _No!_ "

            "You know, I should drag you outside and drop you again just for that."

            His ears prompty flattened to his hair, "Please don't..."       

            That just made me want to  _more_. A twisted response to be sure. I responded quickly to plow over it, "Then stop while you're still ahead."

            "Sorry...." I grinned. Thankfully he couldn't see it.

            "Of course you are. Everyone is once they've already gotten themselves in trouble." 

            When the food arrived, Chat Noir carried while I balanced the drinks and we made our way outside. He eyed the fist-full of napkins I gathered strangely. I quirked a questioning brow, "Do we really need all those?"

            "Yup," I chirped. "I don't know about yours but my suit always leaves a mess in my lap when I eat."

            "Really?"

            "Yeah. It's nonstick.  _Everything_ slides off my fingers and sits in my lap. Well, until I stand up of course, then it's all over the floor and the poor guy just cleaned up out here so..." I trailed off as we unloaded on a small table tucked against the glass and some iron-wrought fencing. Chat peaked into the boxes briefly before handing mine over. 

             "Aww~!" I lamented when I caught sight of an absolutely gorgeous heap of pastel yellows and oranges, peppered with tiny bits of pink pork and dusted with parmesan. "I should have gotten what you have."

            He grinned and twirled his fork in the fettuccine carbonara, "Yours looks good, too. I wouldn't be too disappointed, ma dame." I dismissed his pacifying, choosing to blow bubbles in my soda instead. He chuckled a little before offering his hand. "You can have some if you want."

            "No, no," I said. "I shall accept the consequences of my choices gracefully."

            The amusement never left his face. "Next time then," he said, retracting his hand and taking a bite. 

            A comfortable silence settled between us as eating took priority. I didn't think it was possible. Chat seemed too chatty. But it lasted all the way until the end. 

            "Do you come out every night?"

            I blinked away from some random point down the street, "I try to. Sometimes it's not possible. Sometimes I'm too tired."

            I expected there to be some sort of follow-up--a reason for such a question. There didn't seem to be beyond simple curiosity. "So are you finished?"

            "Hmm?"

            "Are you ready to learn how to dig in your pockets."

            "Oh! Yes!" His excitement was too obvious. It made me nervous when he started to drag and lift those long legs of his. I didn't want him to knock over anything. In the end though he settled pretzle style in his seat as gracefully as a dancer. Was that where those lovely muscles came from? It would make sense. I put that aside for now to focus on the task at hand, "Okay. So I guess the first thing to do is choose an item. Do you--or I guess it's actually  _did_ you--have anything you were carrying before you became Chat Noir?"

            I prayed to God he'd ignore my stammering. It was difficult having his undivided attention--his sharp and yet strangely docile gaze--boring into me. I wondered absently what he saw.

            "My phone," he offered. I wrinkled my nose. 

            "We can use it this time for the sake of this but don't bring it with you afterwards." 

            "Why not?"

            "It's easy for things to slip out when you first start practicing. You don't want to lose anything valuable especially not something personal. All it takes is for someone to put two and two together and well, that's it." I swiped a hand through the air and pressed on. "Anyway. So you have your item--your phone. Now you're gonna picture it in your head. Shouldn't be hard...A-Are you doing it?"

            "Of course," came the immediate response. 

            "Oh. I couldn't tell," I tried to explain. "You were staring..."

            "Why wouldn't I? You're beautiful."

            ...

            My lips parted, "..." 

            But no words came out. 

            Was he serious? I couldn't bring myself to look at him to find out. I cast my gaze away and fumbled for the words to say that might help me regain my composure, "I...Thank you, Monsieur Pussy Cat." Like most things, it was easier to keep going once you started. "I would say the same about you only I'm your teacher and that would be inappropriate..."

            A wicked grin pulled at his mouth, "Nice save." 

            Oh.

            I swallowed the rock that lodged itself in my throat. _O_ _f course_. 

            No matter, I told myself and forced my body into move. I rested my chin in my hand and angled my body away, rolling my free hand through the air flippantly to project a sense of casual indifference I didn't feel as I talked, "Thanks. Now if you have your phone firmly in mind, you can start imagining how it feels. How heavy is it? Is it cold?" 

            I continued to trail on. At some point his eyes fell mercifully closed. I felt like I could breathe again. I gave him a moment longer but then I noticed the faint crease in the fabric of his mask and offered, "You should feel a faint pull on your magic if you're doing it right."

            "'Pull?'" He parroted distractedly as though straining to keep whatever he'd already achieved from slipping away.

            "Yeah. It should start in your fingertips and toes and settle somewhere in your stomach. It feels something like pulling a rubberband--"

             "Got it," he interrupted with rising excitement. 

            "Really?" His tail whipped. I took it as a 'yes'. "Okay then let it go."

            "Wha--?"

            "The rubberband. Let it snap," I insisted, too put off from his earlier teasing to be excited by his apparent progress. "I don't know how to explain it. Just give it up like you do when you go back to being--"

            A jolt visibly ran through his frame. It shocked me into silence. At the same moment, he leapt to his feet. I followed on principle, subtly checking him over to see if he hadn't hurt himself but no. In his clawed hands was a sleek shiny Iphone. My brow twitched at the sight. Something about it was familiar but the similarity was cast behind a dense fog. It wasn't important anyway. I brushed it aside, "Good. Now put it back."

            "I take it it's the same process only reversed."

            "Eh." I tilted my head from side to side, dark (color) curls swishing with the movement, "More or less. Just be careful. You have to imagine it being away now and since your power is Destruction..."

            "I haven't used my  _Cataclysm_ , though."

            I shrugged, "Well, yeah, but you're stronger than me and if  _I_ have passive skills then I'm absolutely positive you do, too." 

            "Really?" Once again this seemed to be the first time this boy had heard such generic information. It was a little worrisome. This stuff was all basic.

            "Yes. Creation and Destruction are the foundations of the very universe. Why wouldn't you--" I shook my head then and waved my hands. I was going too far. It wasn't my place. "Listen. You really need to talk to your Kwami. There's a lot you need to know."

            A frown pulled at his mouth, "Like what?" I flicked my wrists again and scooped up my trash. "What's wrong?"

            "Nothing, just do it, okay?" I wasn't in the mood to play with him anymore. I wanted to leave. 

            I stalked over to a trash can and dumped my tiny armful before pressing up into the air. Before I could get very far a hand snagged onto my wrist. My eyes flashed and I scowled. It would have been easy to snatch him up and send him cartwheeling down the street but the frown on his face looked so heart-felt, I hesitated. 

            "What's wrong, Paonne Blue?" That tone. He might as well be begging me for an answer. I stubbornly clenched my fists, curling up my knees a little in preparation to jet. "Was it something I said?"

            Really? Was he stupid or was it arrogance that kept him from understanding? "You don't tell someone they're beautiful and then turn it into a joke. Especially not when you're beautiful yourself."

            "..." He looked stricken. His voice was softer, too, when he murmured, "I hurt your feelings..."

           I wanted to say something but once again nothing came out. I took too long even if I'd had the words. My silence said everything. "I'm sorry."

            I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from sneering. I didn't need his apology. I wasn't insecure. It just wasn't nice. He'd crossed a line. I just wanted him to know that. That's all. I tugged on my arm again. He didn't tighten his grip but he didn't let go either. 

            "It wasn't meant to be a joke," he insisted. "All of it--it was supposed to be a compliment. You  _are_ beautiful and I  _did_ like your response. I guess it just came out wrong."

            "You think?" I grumbled though the heat wasn't as high as it could have been. This time when I pulled he winced and let go but I didn't leave. I was still upset but...

            "Maybe that's why Ladybug doesn't take me seriously when I compliment her. But then she just ignores it anyway so I never thought about if it hurts her feelings, too." 

            Nevermind, I was angry again. "You shouldn't compliment everyone you meet either."

            He frowned, that confused twinge back between his brows, "What? Why not? If I like something then--"

            "It just makes everything you say sound cheap."

            A catty grin settled over his face. He crossed his legs at the ankles. Hips angled attractively and a hand rose to his chin, "Oh, I see." I pursed my lips, feeling a building twitch in my brow. "You're jealous."

            My face contorted. I was torn between wanting to laugh and wanting to pull his hair out, "Screw you."

            He giggled and leaned forward against the back of a chair. The way he had to tilt his neck to stare up at me made his bum poke out. I only _just_ kept myself from staring. Honestly! What was wrong with me? He smirked as if he knew what I was distracted by though his words were surprisingly innocent, "You know a lot about this stuff, though, don't you. You could help me out. Be my practice coach."

            "Are you asking?" I sniffed. "I mean, you _do_ need the help but I refuse to be made a fool of."

            He snapped to attention then and crossed his hand over his heart. The other raised palm-out to the air, "Cat's honor, I won't lie to you. Every bit of flattery will come straight from the heart."

            I wrinkled my forehead and shook my head, "You're silly."

            "And you're smiling again." 

           He tilted his head with a grin and a wink when I sent him a quizzical look. "Good. Now I can leave."

            "What?" My lips parted. "So you hound me for the last I-don't-know-how-long, bribe me into getting you food, steal one of my tricks and enlist me to help you with new ones to use on other girls no less only to decide you want to go home after you get everything you want?"

            "Well, I don't exactly  _want_ to go home, ma dame. But it _is_  late and I didn't exactly leave a note at home. Besides, you can use me for puurrractice, too."

            I swiped at his head. He flipped away with a laugh, "I'm sure there's one guy left out there who hasn't fallen for you yet." Two, it would seem, including you, I wanted to quip but I didn't have the nerve. "I'll see you later, Bluebird."

            I couldn't keep the smile off my face as I nodded.

            "Good night, kitty-chat."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! We finally finished! Thank you all for your lovely encouraging comments and kudos and bookmarks or subs or even those who simply check it out and silently dash away back into the internet, lol! :D I appreciate anyone who takes the time out to read my stories. I think we're hanging out with Mylene in the next chapter so I'll see you then!
> 
> 1) Hawkmoth doesn't use his weapon like Ladybug and Chat Noir do to talk to each other. He speaks telepathically. I figured holders who didn't have a viable weapon to also double as an electronic device would also have this ability or else the electronic bit could be special to only Miraculi on Ladybug and Chat Noir's Tier. Either one.

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm pretty sure Miraculous will have updated way before I finish this and the subsequent stories based off of season one. I don't plan for these stories I'm working on now to incorporate those new episodes mostly because the Miraculous Kwamis I'm working with will most likely be distributed throughout the show so just keep in mind that even if Miraculous (the show) changes its details, this story is based off of season one only.


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